Archives of Ooo
by Ooobserver
Summary: The Citadel of Truth holds greater secrets than anyone could ever imagine. What knowledge and experiences could be held within the walls of the mysterious temple? To uncover the tales, one just has to dive in to find out for themselves.
1. Entry 1: Fate of the Flame Queen

_**Well, here it is. The beginning of a collection of back-story/side-story one-shots that I hope turn out well.**_

_**It's mostly for writing practice but I also like dwelling as deep as possible into a story.**_

_**It may not be very efficient, figuring that it's hard to understand without first reading COT, but oh well. Enjoy.**_

* * *

Fate of the Flame Queen

Flame Princess slowly brushed her fiery hair, staring into the frown that was reflected onto her mirror. It had been a tiring day, it had been a stressful day, it had even been a magical day, but most of all, it had been an emotional day. All of this and more ran through her mind as she kept hearing the banging of hammers vibrating in the walls as the construction crews rebuilt her beloved palace.

Finn had left for the day, returning to his tree fort to prepare for the hazardous journey to the Citadel of Truth, and hopefully also give a final farewell to Jake and the rest of his friends. This would be a challenge, no doubt was left there.

Secretly though, FP was disappointed to have her hero leave the Fire Kingdom. She could have really used his presence to lighten the mood, especially when she dealt with the various ambassadors and envoys from neighboring kingdoms, wanting one thing or another. But she also understood the importance of his departure. Family, after all, did come first.

_Family._

All Finn had left was his loyal canine bro-ham. His adoptive parents passed on, his true parents utterly unknown. Even the whereabouts of Jermaine, Jake's blood brother, were shady at best. The young queen thought about her own family. Both her parents had been lost, but she still had the support of her three brothers, all of which also supported Finn. This fact always brought a smile to the fiery girl's face. She stopped to think deeper for a moment. The next day, before setting off on a perilous quest, she would finally ask Finn what he thought about staying with her, and eventually, joining her to watch over the kingdom.

FP brought her hands to her chest, picturing an image of the young man standing next to her in the mirror, a gentle hand on the princess's shoulder and a joyful smile upon his features. No one but her would have ever considered what she was planning, but in this day and age, when even the citizens below her cheered for a leader like the human, the young ruler knew that everyone was behind her a hundred percent.

Her mind began to shift the image in the glass, producing a blurry vision of what the girl was thinking, two figures wearing royal garb, holding each other's hands. It was not clear because it was an event that had not happened, or she hoped, not yet.

_Both of our families have suffered great loss, no parents to guide and care for us after the youngest part of our lives. _

FP leaned over the table that held the mirror, holding her head in her hands as her elbows rested on the stone. She had slipped into a topic that wasn't very commonplace in her mind.

_Parents should always be there. I know for certain that when I have my own family, I will do whatever it takes to never leave my kids to go it alone._

Somewhere along her string of thoughts, Flame Princess drew the image of Finn in her head. Unknowingly, a light blush had come to her face as she imagined what the future might hold if she and the human were to be truly together.

This induced daydreaming was interrupted by a loud crash outside, startling the girl. She quickly got up and walked to her door, opening and peeking outside to see what had happened. A large pile of support beams had been dropped by the workers. One of them rubbed his neck as he approached FP.

"Sorry about that your highness, those things are really heavy."

Flame Princess held up her hand.

"It's alright, no harm done, just don't hurt yourselves."

The workman bowed and returned to his team, who looked like they were playing a giant game of pick-up sticks. The princess just shook her head with an amused grin and closed the door.

Back inside, she walked over to her balcony and gazed over lands. There was still a fair portion of the day left, but official business had already concluded, mostly due to the other kingdoms arming themselves in fear of a similar disaster that hers had experienced. It was understandable and frankly the fire elemental was enjoying her little day off.

However, she was also extremely bored. Normally Finn would take her out to explore or just talk but obviously that was out of the question. Letting out a sigh, FP sat down on the floor and crossed her legs, bringing her hands together in her lap and closing her eyes. A few deep breaths later, she was in a peaceful state, ready to dwell on whatever events came to mind.

For a while, there was nothing, but out of the blue, Flame Princess remembered her father's last words.

_After I'm gone, if you want to know the truth, ask the Flame._

What had he meant by that? They were his last words. He had spoken of truth, proving that in his final moments, the old king had respected his daughter's ideals. Ask the Flame? What could a sentient fire tell her, most of all about her mother? Tired of just contemplating it in her head, FP let out another breath and focused on the Flame within her, attempting to meld with the ancient force and establish a link.

_Please, show me what my father meant._

For a brief moment, there was nothing. Suddenly however, a bright flash filled her mind. FP tried to open her eyes but was too late, being mysteriously thrown into a trance that left her feeling as if she were slipping out of her own body and literally fusing with the Ancestral Flame. After another moment, the flash dissipated, leaving only darkness.

* * *

Forcing open her eyelids, Flame Princess found herself in a different room, one that was entirely not in the castle. In fact, the young queen didn't recognize it at all. There appeared to be multiple beds, each one had a curtain of fireproof cloth surrounding it. Near each bed was a table full of what appeared to be medical supplies. With the observations, FP began to realize she was in a hospital. This however, was not the Fire Kingdom hospital she knew, and there was only one in the whole land.

A sound from behind raised her attention. It was a giggle, a very childish one at that. No, it was definitely a baby. Flame Princess turned around to a shocking sight. There before her, on a bed a mere few feet away, lay her mother, the Queen of the Fire Kingdom, holding a tiny fire elemental in her arms. Beside the woman stood Flame King, a mixed look of concern and deep thinking upon his burning face.

The queen however, was smiling bright as the sun, gazing into the laughing face of her daughter, tucked safely in her arms. Flame Princess finally found the focus to step forward.

"Mom?"

There was no reaction. After a few moments, the fiery girl understood.

_This is a memory._

Legend stated that when a fire elemental's body burned out, its heart and memories were absorbed into the Ancestral Flame, keeping it alive with the spirit of the people it had created. FP looked at her clothes to see that she was wearing her normal royal dress, proof that the she was within the Flame itself. Looking back at the scene before her with newly-born attention, the young ruler watched closely.

A nurse suddenly walked into the room, carrying a clipboard. She stopped before the royal pair and bowed.

"You're majesties, I have news on your two boys."

_Two boys?_

Flame King faced the lady.

"What have you to say?"

The female elemental stood straight and began reading off of her board.

"We were correct that they had little chance of surviving, but hope found its way into the situation. My husband is a skilled alchemist. When word reached him of the babies' instability, he came over as fast as he could. With great care, he was able to save them, but, there is a cost."

FK narrowed his eyes.

"Which is?"

The nurse frowned.

"He had to place them in a temporary stasis. By the time they are released from the energizing hold of the transmutation, their bodies will be able to grow normally without further problems."

The king thought for a moment before asking his final question.

"How long will they remain in this state?"

The lady looked nervous but replied.

"Nearly a decade, your majesty."

Both parents were shocked. They looked at each other with concern, then returned their attention to the young woman. The fiery queen spoke.

"Regardless of the consequences, please thank him for saving our little boys. I know he did the best he could."

The nurse humbly smiled.

"Thank you my queen. He is a parent himself, he knows the importance of one's children, and our little Ferrum can be quite the handful sometimes."

Flame Queen also smiled.

"I'm sure he will grow up to be a great alchemist just like his father."

The nurse gave one final bow then turned to leave. Flame King turned back to his wife.

"Ten years, they'll be well behind their sister for taking the throne."

The queen just grinned at the tiny FP in her arms.

"Well, at least they will have an older sibling to watch over them. Odds are our eldest will run off to the military."

She chuckled, but Flame King just continued to stare at the infant princess.

"What if, she grows up and just, kicks me out you know? Take's over the kingdom and throws me to the streets."

The queen sighed a bit, stripping away her smile as she turned to look at her husband.

"Dear, I know that it's in your nature to worry about losing power but please, this is your daughter for Grod's sake."

She placed a hand on the man's armor.

"Why must you be so cold and calculating?"

The king drew a look of shock.

"Why? How could you not understand why? Because, I am evil, just like every other fire elemental."

His statement contained pride, something that the queen shook her head at and sighed once more.

"Oh my king, you treat evil as if it's a definition of strength and might. In reality though, good and evil are only different matters of perspective, on one side you have those who help others and treat them as equals, on the other you have those who are in it for themselves."

She gave the fiery man a longing look with her golden eyes.

"Do you care for me dear?"

Flame King was startled by the question, quickly facing his mate.

"Of course I do! You are the love of my life and I would do anything to protect you."

He took the woman's hand in his own with a gentle grip. Flame Queen just smiled.

"Then you are not fully evil my king."

The towering fire elemental was touched by her words. FP beamed with pride, never knowing what a wise person her mother had been. The king was in deep thought, until he finally turned to walk away. Before getting far, a hand gripped his arm, stopping his leave. He turned to see his queen with a hopeful smile. Then, she gently lifted baby FP to him.

"Why don't you spend some time with our daughter while I rest dear?"

The king begrudgingly accepted the tiny elemental, who giggled and poked at the massive red jewel imbedded in the ruler's armor. The man let out a sigh but looked back at his beloved.

"Of course honey, get some sleep."

He quickly leaned across and gave her a kiss on the forehead. It was the greatest display of affection FP had ever seen from him. Afterward, Flame King turned to leave, while his queen peacefully laid further down in bed to drift off into her dreams. Flame Princess approached the bed, having never remembered her mother's appearance.

She looked nearly identical to the young girl, with the addition of a more mature face and a wise expression that lasted even as her eyes were closed.

_Wow mom, you're beautiful._

She leaned over to place her own kiss on the queen's head, only to discover she phased right through her. Disappointed, FP took one last look at the wise ruler as the memory destabilized.

* * *

The next scene depicted her father carrying baby Flame Princess toward the palace. As he approached the fairly primitive structure, she saw him hand the girl off to a servant.

"Take my daughter to the fire sages, have them proclaim what she will be capable of."

The servant bowed than accepted the smiling little princess. He then briskly walked off. FP watched as her dad climbed the steps of the diminutive palace and stand atop it, waiting for an answer. She shook her head.

_What a paranoid jerk._

For the next few hours, the fiery girl waiting for the news on her fate, entertaining herself with thoughts of how happy she could have been if her mother had interfered with her imprisonment. Why hadn't she? Before continuing her thinking, the sounds of approaching footsteps broke her out of the thoughts.

"The word! The word!"

A messenger came running, clearly out of breath as he stopped near the palace. Flame King turned around and looked at the man.

"What's the word?"

After taking a moment to recover, the messenger faced his ruler.

"The word is your newborn baby will have greater powers than you'll ever dream of."

The king looked stoic, then responded.

"Um…have my baby sent into the wilderness of the outside world to perish."

_You're a real idiot, dad._

"Ok," the messenger responded, and then ran off.

That servile fire elemental was the second person to ever show kindness to FP, the first being her dear mother. The man had decided against letting her die and even tried to find a home for her.

* * *

Quite a while later, another familiar scene came up. A being in a bulbous suit carrying the baby FP walked up to the palace. Princess Bubblegum shouted at the king.

"Flame King?"

The ruler didn't even bother to face her.

"What do you want, princess of the Gum World?"

PB held up the small fire elemental in her hands.

"I found your lost daughter."

The nervous look Flame King produced sickened Flame Princess.

"I-I don't remember losing anything," he stated as nonchalantly as he could.

Bubblegum let out an irritated sound, calling his bluff.

"Ok you got me. I had her sent to wander in the woods. I was in fear of being usurped. Come on."

He turned around and held up his arms in a defensive shrug.

The candy monarch was undeterred.

"That's your problem, but you can't just let her run around the woods. She's too dangerous."

The pink girl pointed to the fiery king.

"Find a way to contain her power or I will."

FP looked down at her hands. What if PB was the one who found a way? Would her life have been better? On the other hand, would she have ever met Finn?

"Pssh, fine," Flame King answered with irritation.

He quickly dematerialized his flames while his armor reformed next to Princess Bubblegum,. After the infant had been taken from her arms, PB bowed.

"Thank you for listening to reason Flame King. I'm glad you understand that responsibility demands sacrifice."

Those words, they made Flame Princess sigh sadly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the towering flame ruler replied, rolling his eyes.

As PB walked off, Flame King held out his daughter and studied her carefully.

"Hm, if I can't just get rid of you I'll have to find some place to keep you."

He turned and walked into the palace itself, which hadn't been updated compared to FP's own timeline. Inside was the throne, and hanging above it was the infamous and dreaded lantern that held Flame Princess for 14 years. In place of her was a massive candle that illuminated the room. She shuddered.

Flame King scratched his chin, staring at the glass object.

"Servant, come here!"

A lowly fire elemental approached quickly and kneeled down.

"Yes your majesty?"

The king pointed to the lantern.

"Shove the candle out of that lamp and put my daughter in it."

He held out the girl.

The servant acknowledged and accepted the baby, scurrying off to take care of the request without an objection.

Flame King put his hands on his hips, grinning triumphantly.

"Well, that was easy."

FP's flames grew higher.

_I'd just love to give you a nice sock in the face you jerk._

Several more palace servants had joined to help in the request. They lowered the lantern and pulled out the large tower of wax within. A second gently placed baby FP inside, who had a look of utter confusion on her little face. After the door was closed and the lamp raised, it took an additional few minutes before the infant fire elemental's eyes watered and her mouth grew wide.

She began bawling loudly, causing all the servants to look upon the girl with pity. Flame King however, just pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Ugh, this is gonna take a while to get used to."

At that point the teenager princess stomped up and aimed her leg for her dad's crotch, forgetting she'd phase right through and falling on her back. She groaned, frustrated, before leaning back up on her elbows.

_Well, that didn't offer much, I already knew all this junk. At least I saw mom though._

Flame Princess smiled, remembering her mother's kind face. Before she could contemplate further though, screams were heard from outside, causing Flame King to spin around and phase out the palace entrance. FP followed.

Out in the open, Flame King's eyes widened as he saw a sight that would terrify any fire elemental, no matter how ruthless or strong: a water dragon. The beast was blasting every street with its hydro-filled breath, causing massive steam clouds to rise into the air along with screeches of pain. Flame Princess was shocked, not only because of the attack but because in all her studies of her kingdom's history, she had never read of a water dragon on this date.

The king regained his composure and blasted himself toward the monster. As he grew closer, he formed an enormous fire ball in his hands and fired it straight into the dragon's face. The creature cried out from pain as its body was evaporated but quickly recovered and charged at the fire elemental.

Below him, troops were firing lava balls and flaming arrows in a desperate attempt to halt the deadly elemental lizard. It was having little effect besides enraging the beast further, which used its tail to smash the infantry and artillery away. Flame King took the opportunity to throw a massive stream of fire at the dragon's back, forcing it to let out another roar of agony.

It reset its sights on the ruler and flew at him with incredible speed. The fire elemental didn't have time to dodge and voted to grab the creature's gapping mouth with his hands, which began to sting from the material they were touching. Even with the sharp pain, FK refused to give in, using all his energy to rocket himself in the opposite direction the monster was pushing him.

Finally, he managed to overpower the beast and launched it into the ground, creating a colossal impact of magma, rocks, and water. Exhausted from the effort, Flame King floated back down to the ground and took a knee, panting heavily. FP walked over to him, oddly concerned for the ruler's well-being. Maybe it was the ferocity with which he was defending the kingdom. Maybe she was just too good now thanks to Finn

The king struggled, but managed to stand back up, staring into the dust filled crater where the dragon had fallen. Before he could react, a liquefied claw reached out and grasped FK's copper-plated body. He grunted as a vile hissing filled the air. The beast's next move comprised of pulling back its gapping maw before unleashing a lethal torrent of water from within its throat.

Flame King closed his eyes, conceding that he shall now perish. However, the only sound that came was a piercing hiss. The man opened his eyes, both he and the observing princess below were astonished to see Flame Queen, hovering in front of her husband, brandishing a massive shield of scorching flames. With one fluid movement, she produced a blade of fire the size of a ship and slashed the dragon across the face.

The monster screamed heavily before dropping its hold on the fire elemental in its clutches and covering the damaged face. Taking advantage of the moment of retreat, FQ turned to Flame King, who had regained his own stability in the air.

"Is our daughter safe?"

Her tone was hopeful, her expression pleading. FK was touched, somewhere in his evil heart.

"Yes," he answered without any weakness.

Flame Queen smiled and took her partner's hand.

"Then stop doing things on your own dummy, let's finish this."

_Dummy? I __**am **__my mom's daughter!_

The armored man grew a smile of confidence, nodding at his wife before they both turned to face the recovering dragon. The creature eyed them with hatred then hastily charged them both. Big mistake. With an elegance that left FP speechless, the couple flew at the beast themselves, quickly beginning to twirl and form two strands of molten rock behind them. Without sufficient maneuverability, the water dragon found itself surrounded by the coils of lava.

In a sudden change of trajectory, the flame rulers back-tracked over their creation, quickly separating and using their elemental mastery to tighten the magma ropes that begun binding the helpless dragon. The creature began rapidly evaporating into the atmosphere, screaming a roar of agony.

Before long, it lost its support in the sky and fell violently to the ground, defeated. The flame monarchs landed beside the monster's head, once more holding hands. Flame Queen turned to her king with a smile.

"You see what we can accomplish, when we work together?"

FK took a moment but nevertheless gave a hopeful grin in return.

"You consider yourself evil, I personally say I'm good. You see dear, there is little difference when a common need to protect arises."

She embraced the man, who returned the gesture, closing his eyes with a true shine of happiness on his face.

"Perhaps you're right, my love."

Flame Princess stood nearby, amazed by the level of serenity her father had displayed. However, the moment was violently interrupted as the still mobile dragon fired its open jaws at the couple. Flame King reacted immediately, holding back the bite with his powerful arms. He was visibly struggling nonetheless.

The beast was slowly pushing him back before FK noticed a terrifying sight. Within the dragon's throat, a wellspring of water was gathering. His eyes grew wide as he looked behind him to see the force of the monster's attack had knocked his queen to the ground, showing that she had not fully recovered from the strain of childbirth.

The king was unmoved. He would die protecting his love from the blast that was fast approaching. However, as the stream of water began to rise in the beast's mouth, the man felt his heart's temperature increase greatly. Confused, he looked behind him once more to see his wife weakly holding her hand to her own heart while chanting an incantation.

Recognizing the spell, FK's eyes widened.

"No! Don't do it!"

Flame Queen just smiled with what little strength she had left.

"I could never run a kingdom on my own. Better for you to go on, my king. Just promise me, to look after our children."

With those final words, the fiery woman finished the spell, forming a spinning disk of flames around herself and Flame King. In a sudden burst of fire, the two instantly switched places. The king uselessly attempted to grab his wife as the dragon's hydro based attack slammed full force into the queen, blocking the majority of the damage that would've been dealt to Flame King.

As Flame Princess covered her mouth in horror, the memory destabilized.

* * *

The young princess found herself back on her floor. The Ancestral Flame retreated into her body, leaving the room dead silent save for the whispers of the girl's own natural fire. All she could think of was the scene depicting her father shielding the queen with his body, determined to protect her no matter what.

_That's what changed him, he saw how Finn protected me from the crystal dragon, and it brought back the memory of that awful day._

The girl shed a few tears for her late mother, wishing she had had the time to get to know the wise queen. True, her memories were buried deep within the Flame, but never would she experience the tutelage or kindness of her deceased parent. Never would she embrace the loving mentor she never had.

Then she thought back to Flame King, the neglectful father whose last act was to prevent the very tragedy that befell his own love.

"Oh dad," she whispered sadly.

"If only…if only you'd listened to mom."

More tears fell as FP slumped further to the floor. Her father had no doubt been filled with evil, but what was the true nature evil? She remembered the story of Marceline's dad, the Lord of Evil. Supposedly, the most vile and merciless being in existence, but even he loved his daughter enough to show it. The philosophic words or Flame Princess's mother drifted into thought.

_Good and evil. Is it really that black and white?_

* * *

_**There it is. I don't know how it was, one-shots aren't really familiar to me.**  
_

_**But if you guys do want another entry please let me know. Later.**_


	2. Entry 2: The Alchemist

The Alchemist

_An alchemist's greatest responsibility is to maintain control._

_-_Alchemic Scrolls, Section IV

* * *

Sparks flew in every direction as hit after hit was placed upon the shiny black sword. The young fire elemental commanding the hammer made careful sure that while each strike was powerful, it was also placed in the right spot. His most recent client was picky, especially with their weapons.

_Just keep yourself calm, it's an art form, it takes time._

With a final clank of metal on metal, the young man examined his work then walked over to an isolated barrel in the corner of the forge room. Dipping the blade inside released a heavy cloud of steam.

_3, 2, 1, now._

He lifted the sword from the container of pure water and quickly moved to his work table. Placing the black weapon on a holder, he jumped over to a set of shelves on the wall. After a swift search, he found what he was looking for and grabbed a bottle. Returning to the blade, the elemental uncorked the glass and carefully tipped it until a drop of mysterious liquid was hanging off the lip of the bottle.

_Come on, come on._

He gave a microscopic shake and the drop finally released its hold, splashing onto the sharp edge of the sword. It instantly absorbed the foreign substance and began turning a dark purple. The fiery being watched patiently until the metal appeared to liquefy. With great speed and skill, he formed two small fire torches on his hands and began crafting an intricate design into the weapon.

After a few minutes, he finished the work and placed his palm against the blade. With a deep breath, the heat from the sword was instantly sucked into his hand. For a moment, the man seemed to struggle with the heat within him, too strong even for his species. Eventually though, he managed to swing his other open hand toward a calm fire within the forge and shot a blast of fire into it.

The hearth readily accepted the redirected energy and spiked a light orange before returning to its natural red. With the order complete, the man picked up the sword by its handle and did a final examination. It appeared solid, light, and stunning in its decoration. The young man smiled, satisfied he had accomplished his goal.

Before he could proceed further, the long curtain covering the entrance to the forge was swung aside, revealing a fairly middle-aged fire elemental. The man grinned with pride as he approached the work table, studying the item the younger fire being had crafted. He held out his hand, asking for the finished product, which the blacksmith gave him with an anxious look. The man gave the black sword a few practice swings before pulling a scabbard out his cloak and sliding the elegant blade inside.

"It's difficult to work with obsidian, well done Ferrum."

The younger elemental smiled as he began cleaning the nearby anvil.

"Thanks dad."

The father chuckled as he slowly made his way around the table to where his son was wiping off the impurities from the forging tool's surface.

"I'm sure the general will be quite satisfied with your performance."

Ferrum smirked.

"You know I already finished my apprenticeship. You don't have to keep talking to me like that."

The young man's father gave a return smirk and gave the boy a pat on the back.

"I know, but you never really stop learning you know, especially from your parents."

The son rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Listen dad…"

Ferrum looked at the clock.

"…I've got a few errands to run. Could you deliver that for me?"

He pointed to the sheathed sword. Ferrum's old man gave a nod.

"Of course. It's not like I do anything else useful these days," he chuckled.

A sigh from the young blacksmith.

"Well, I'll see you later then."

As the fire elemental began to step through the curtain, his father put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look back at the man.

"Almost forgot."

He grinned again as he reached into a pouch hanging from his belt and produced a degraded looking scroll. He held the fireproof paper out to his son, who accepted it with curiosity.

"Happy eighteenth birthday."

Ferrum smacked his forehead with his palm.

"Dang. This is the third year in a row I've forgotten this day."

His father laughed.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You've been overworking and over-studying yourself to death my boy."

Ferrum's face was serious now.

"It's necessary. Being a smith will keep the shop going, and alchemy will bring in greater opportunities."

His dad pointed to the scroll.

"Well then, perhaps you should take care to read through that."

With a final thanks, Ferrum walked through the curtain, leaving his old man to smile proudly after his son.

As the young fire elemental strolled through the markets, he was eagerly reading the latest transmutation his father had given him. He always received an interesting one for his birthday. Luckily, anticipation was low since, well, he never paid attention to that date. This always made it a great pleasure to suddenly have it be presented to him at some random moment.

_Hm. The ultimate negation. Sounds useful, but also situational._

Lost in his studying, Ferrum didn't notice he had walked into an alleyway. His concentration was only broken by the sound of a female shout. Springing his head up from the scroll, the young blacksmith darted his vision around. He began hearing sinister laughing and followed its source around several corners.

As he shot around another, he instantly halted and threw himself back around the wall. Leaning over, he spotted a gang of four fire elementals cornering a young girl against a building. She looked both terrified and angered. The leader of the group, by the looks of it, had his arm supporting his weight while he leaned his face toward the girl's.

"Come on babe you really shouldn't walk around on your own. There are plenty of guys walking around that are pretty nasty. Of course, not as good as my own boys."

He motioned to the grinning thugs behind him.

"But even so some protection would do you good."

The trapped female's expression of anger overrode the one of fear.

"Shut up Kalium, you're pathetic excuse to date me isn't going to work!"

The thug leader's charming smile faded into a look of irritation.

"Well maybe this isn't a request, maybe it's a command."

He gripped the girl's throat, causing her to desperately claw at the hoodlum's strong hand, with no effect.

"There's no one here to stop me after all."

Before he could forcibly press his mouth to the struggling elemental, a sudden object blurred between their faces. Kalium moved his head back in shock, before turning to see what had been thrown. It was a jet black throwing knife. All four hoods looked toward the source of the throw, only to see Ferrum defiantly standing a few yards away.

"I wouldn't say that Kalium," he said darkly.

The fearful fiery girl stared at him with eyes that were pleading for help. The thug leader however, just grinned and let the female go, who sunk to the floor grasping her neck.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Ferrum. Come to offer a repair on one of my blades smithy?"

The gang gave a vile laugh. All the young blacksmith did was step forward. Unfortunately, he knew Kalium and his group were infamous for creating vicious weapons with their fire powers, something he couldn't hope to match with his own weapons, that is, if he had any more on him. Not unfortunate, was the perfect timing of the gift from his father.

Taking another step forward, Ferrum pointed to his foes.

"Actually I'm here to beat you idiots until you leave the poor girl alone."

Another wild laugh emerged from the four fire thugs.

"Ha! You've got some nerve Ferrum. Just for that, I think I'll give you a nice shave."

With that, Kalium generated a wicked lava ax from his arm. He began slowly walking toward the blacksmith, grinding the weapon along the ground as the rest of the gang prepared to watch the fun. The female elemental held her look of horror. Ferrum just smirked.

Before the hood could get too close, he held his open palm downwards to the ground and unleashed a thin blast of fire, which quickly touched the ground and began rapidly etching a transmutation circle into the ground. While Kalium and his gang were reluctant to notice, the girl followed the burning runes with mixed curiosity.

With the circle complete, Ferrum took a knee and pressed his open hand to the ground. Kalium laughed again.

"Accepting your fate so easily? You really are a coward smithy."

In that moment, orange bolts of electricity arced from Ferrum's palm, instantly lighting up the ashy transmutation circle the fires had burned into the ground. Kalium froze, completely bewildered. With a final flash, the reaction ended and the leader's lava axe instantly fell apart.

"What!? What is this?"

The punk frustratingly attempted to reform his weapon, with no success. He looked back at Ferrum, who had risen to his feet again and was cracking his knuckles.

"Sorry, but I just used _Embargo_. All magic and abilities have been negated."

The gang's eyes widened as they too unsuccessfully tried to form various weaponry on their limbs.

"You-you're an alchemist…"

Kalium had fear now in both his voice and his face. He slowly began backing away.

"That's right genius. And one that knows very well how to fight without any armaments."

With that declaration, Ferrum ran up and gave the hoodlum one swift uppercut to the jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. Recovering, Kalium woozily stood up and shouted for his cronies to jump the young man. They hesitantly followed the order. However, it took mere seconds before they were all on the same spot of ground their leader had tasted a few moments ago.

Not willing to continue, the three underlings ran for it. Kalium shouted after them.

"You cowards! Get back here morons!"

His sentence was followed by a painful strike to his crotch. As the man turned to see his assailant, the girl stood there wearing a vengeful glare.

"Maybe **you **should get protection."

In great pain, the thug leader had no choice but to retreat from the two elementals. He joined his gang down the alley and out of site. Ferrum, meanwhile, walked up to the girl and gave a friendly smile.

"You alright?"

After brushing off some soot on her dress, the young lady returned the smile.

"Yes, thank you. I owe you one. Ferrum is it?"

She offered her hand, which the alchemist shook.

"Yeah. And you are?"

The fiery girl threw aside some locks of her flaming hair. Ferrum caught himself staring and shook it off discreetly.

"Flara. Um, you can let go of my hand now."

The blacksmith blushed as he realized the girl was trying to pull her hand away from his grip. He quickly released the hold and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry. So are you hurt or anything?"

Flara giggled a bit and shook her head.

"No I'm fine. Pretty impressive stuff you showed back there."

Ferrum gave a nervous chuckle, becoming more embarrassed every second.

"Haha, yeah well, hope you don't mind not being able to conjure fire for a few hours."

He gave a silly grin, which just made Flara giggle again.

"Doesn't seem like that spell stops you from conjuring hearts tough guy."

The alchemist turned a deeper shade of red, unable to halt the oncoming teases. Luckily, the girl decided to let him off the hook.

"Well, I hope to see you around Ferrum. I'll bet Kalium will think twice about bothering me if I tell him you're close by."

They both laughed, then stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Flara leaned in to peck him on the cheek and turned to leave, giving a final wave.

"Bye."

Ferrum waved back, a little stunned.

"Bye."

As she turned the corner, the blacksmith just stood there for a minute, holding a hand to the side of his face.

* * *

(3 months later)

Adding another dab of polish to the armor, Ferrum began to rub the solution into the protective plates, determined to get the burn marks out. He swore, some of his customers were so high maintenance. I mean really, who doesn't want battle scars? Sighing, the man continued his task as the hearth burned peacefully.

Suddenly, a knock was heard near the entrance to the forge. Ferrum turned to see a female fire elemental smiling at him, leaning against the doorway.

"Flara! Hi. I uh, wasn't expecting you."

The girl giggled and went over to sit down on a bench near where the blacksmith was working.

"Well I didn't have anything else to do today so I decided to drop by. Is that ok?"

Ferrum couldn't help but smile back.

"You're welcome here anytime."

Flara's flames increased slightly.

"That's nice to know."

Ferrum's own flames also increased, making the girl laugh again. He desperately patted himself, trying to wave away the extra fire. All he accomplished was making Flara laugh harder. Finally, he gave up.

"Ok yeah, you got me. I'm embarrassed."

He held up his hands as he finished polishing and walked the armor to the other side of the forge to hang it on a hook. Flara got up and strolled over to the hearth, gazing at the red ribbons within. After making sure the chains could support the chest plate, Ferrum walked over to join the fiery girl.

"Beautiful isn't it? It's been passed down in my family for as long as we can remember. An enchanted fire."

Flara's eyes widened slightly, which attracted the blacksmith's attention. It wasn't until she turned to look at him that he realized what he was doing and looked into the fire himself, blushing. The female elemental took a few steps toward him and gave a curious look.

"What can it do differently than a normal fire?"

Glad that the staring had seemingly been unnoticed, he happily turned back to look at Flara.

"Well, a trained blacksmith can merge with it to make forging more efficient. And it's said it can read people's emotions."

At the second fact the fiery girl was hooked.

"Can we try that?" she asked excitedly.

Ferrum gave a smile, unable to resist her shiny black eyes. They reminded him of obsidian, which he considered the most elegant of all minerals.

"Sure, come on."

He held out his hand, which she accepted. He liked the feel of her skin, of course never admitting that. After leading her closer to the hearth, he motioned for the girl to place her hand into the crimson flames, as he did. She hesitated, but trusted the man enough to do as he asked. Flara plunged her hand into the fire and instantly felt its pleasant warmth fill her body.

Ferrum nudged her a bit in the shoulder. She turned and saw him holding up his hand.

"May I?"

The girl smiled and nodded. The blacksmith gently placed his hand over her heart and closed his eyes. The fire acted immediately, projecting various feelings through his own heart. He felt a sense of joy, directed at an older individual. He opened his eyes an looked at Flara.

"You love to spend time with your mom, don't you?"

The girl smiled and nodded. Ferrum closed his eyes and looked deeper. A sense of annoyance, at a particularly young person. He laughed as he opened his sight again.

"I take it you don't get along with your brother that well?"

Flara joined him in chuckling.

"Haha, nope."

He went in one more time. The furthest he could go. He felt a little guilty of digging this far into personal thoughts, but he believed Flara trusted him. This time however, he encountered the feeling of love. It was not family love, or abstract love, it was the type that indicated a sense of bonding to an outsider who gradually grew closer over time. He was shocked when he discovered it was **him **that the feeling was directed at.

He couldn't help but gasp. Flara looked at him, confused, before her eyes went wide and her face turned red.

"Oh jeez! I'm sorry Flara! I didn't mean to go that far, I really hope I didn-"

The fiery girl tried to turn and leave but Ferrum grabbed her hand.

"Wait, Flara!"

She looked at him with a bit of fear. He slowly moved her hand and guided it to his chest. The girl hesitantly closed her eyes as Ferrum allowed his own emotions to freely wander. After a moment, the female elemental opened her eyes and stared deep into Ferrum's. They remained in that state for who knows how long before motion was finally seen.

Ever so slowly, the two leaned closer to each other, not daring to move their sights from each other. Eventually, they leaned their heads in opposite directions and gently closed their eyes. A second later, their lips made contact and both of their flames grew exponentially, fusing together to create one swirling force of bright orange ribbons.

The flame within the hearth simply continued its peaceful glow.

* * *

(a year later)

Ferrum narrowed his eyes heavily as he read the dozen or so scrolls and books in front of him. His alchemy studies were beginning to take their toll on the man, he had barely slept for the past week. Rubbing his eyes, he decided to try one more lesson before heading to bed. Getting up, Ferrum grabbed one of the books and strolled out the door to the back end of the shop.

It was twilight outside, with the ash clouds of the Fire Kingdom concealing what was left of the sun. Basically no different than nighttime. He touched a nearby torch, which instantly ignited and sprang to the rest of the ring of attached light sources the elemental had set up. He opened the book to once more look over the procedure before beginning.

While he read, he didn't notice a figure sneaking up behind him. As he went deep into thought about the complexity of the reaction, he was startled as the figure jumped onto him and wrapped its arms around his neck.

"Boo!"

Ferrum shouted and began frantically moving around before he realized who it was.

"Glob Flara, do you have to do that every time?"

The girl just giggled.

"Yep."

Sighing, Ferrum carefully lifted her off his back and set her down, giving her a smile and then leaning in to kiss her. She returned the gesture and beamed into his eyes. As the blacksmith returned to reading, Flara curiously looked at the writing.

"What are you doing this time?"

Ferrum talked as he read.

"Big leagues. Finally getting into the Catalyst series, the most powerful transmutations in alchemy."

Flara frowned. The man noticed and looked at her with a sincere smile.

"I know, you don't like when people have too much power."

The girl rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Just look at jerks like Kalium and his gang, or even the Flame King. They're all overwhelmed by how much power they wield and can't control what they do with it."

Ferrum grew a look of concern and placed his free arm around Flara's back.

"True. But responsibility is also questionable in those guys. As long as that's in place, control is a no brainer."

He grinned at his girlfriend but she was unconvinced. It was then that he noticed a small cut on her cheek. His expression changed to a frown.

"What happened here?" he asked, gently brushed the injury.

Flara sighed.

"Oh, just got careless and tripped a little."

Ferrum got an idea.

"Come here for a second."

He took the girl's hand and led her to the nearby lava river. He then had them kneel down next to the molten rock.

"Good can always be brought out from something, you just have to find it."

With that, he placed one hand on Flara's cut and the other he placed directly into the lava. He took a deep breath then began the reaction.

"Harmonic Catalyst."

A gentle arc of orange electricity zapped the female elemental's cheek. While this occurred, the lava Ferrum was touching began to cool and harden as the injury on his companion's face began to fade. As the reaction finished, he returned both his hands to his side and smiled at Flara.

The fiery girl felt her newly healed cheek and then looked at the alchemist. After a moment, she smiled back.

"I guess you're right. And I trust you."

She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. Repositioning herself, she then lay against his shoulder, staring out into the lava.

"I love you Flara."

"I love you too Ferrum."

* * *

The next day went much like any other. The young blacksmith checked his orders, cleaned up the ash-riddled floors, then set out into town to buy some new metals. As he finished his to-do list, the man decided to stop by Flara's for a visit. Walking toward her house, he passed the time by rehearsing various Catalyst reactions in his head.

_Remember Ferrum, speak clearly. The transmutation is too powerful to perform non-verbally. One mistake and you blow a crater into the ground._

Reaching his girlfriend's home, he was shocked by what he saw. The front door had been busted down and scorch marks were present on the walls. Rushing inside, he discovered that the majority of the furniture had been either broken or thrown around. It took him a minute to discover a message burned into the floor.

**Top of the lava dam. Come and get her, alchemist. –K**

Ferrum's flames burned with rage as he vaporized the writing with a blast of fire. He then ran out the front entrance and down the street, determined to find Kalium and make him pay.

The trip to the lava dam was short. The structure was housed quite near, overlooking the marketplace from an active volcano. Ferrum sprinted toward the path leading to the main entrance and pushed several workers out of the way to get to the elevator. Running inside, he slammed the button for the top floor and the gears within the contraption began to grind, pulling the platform up to the top of the wall.

The moment the doors opened, the man resumed his sprint. After seeing a group of fire elemental's near the edge of the dam, he increased his speed and narrowed his eyes. One of them noticed his approach and grinned evilly. It was Kalium. Ferrum managed to stop himself a few yards away from the hood.

"Welcome Ferrum! Nice to see you after all this time."

The blacksmith glared at his enemy.

"The feeling's not mutual. Where's Flara you bastard?"

Kalium gave a fake expression of offense.

"My word such language, as if we'd done something to her. But don't worry, we haven't…"

He smiled viciously.

"…yet."

Ferrum broke loose. He slammed his hand into the ground and swiftly burned a transmutation circle into the ground. Electricity crackled as he prepared to blast Kalium off the dam. The twisted elemental only grinned more. He suddenly held up his hand and drew his own circle in midair. The blacksmith's eyes widened as his reaction suddenly halted, the energy dispersed into the air.

Kalium let out a vile laugh.

"Hahaha! I did a bit of studying myself. All I needed though was to learn _cancel_."

He took a step toward Ferrum and formed a lava axe on his hand.

"And that's all it would take to cripple you."

He motioned for one of his thugs to bring someone forward. That someone was Flara, hands tied behind her back by fireproof bindings. Ferrum's eyes widened.

"Flara!"

The girl looked at the alchemist with a hopeless expression.

"Ferrum! Help, please!"

The blacksmith attempted to cast _embargo_, but Kalium canceled it out. He drew three simultaneous circles and tried to create a detonation to disorient his opponent. All three were canceled. Growing frustrated, he took several steps toward the gang. Kalium grabbed Flara and brought his axe to her throat.

"Uh, uh, uh smithy, any closer and this sweetheart gets a little messy."

His voice disgusted Ferrum as much as his act. Growing angrier every second, he felt a boiling energy within him. Kalium was laughing hysterically as he placed his hand on Flara's abdomen. The girl tried to struggle free but he increased the pressure on her neck.

"Get your hands off of her you son of a bitch!"

The hoodlum didn't stop, he moved his hand up toward the girl's chest. Ferrum's flames exploded out of his body.

"I'll kill you, you groddamned pig!"

The gang members just laughed as their boss continued to move his hand up. Suddenly, he stopped, his attention directed to an incredible sight. Massive streams of energy were being funneled into the alchemist's body. Their source: the enormous energy turbines housed atop the dam. They were slowly drained of every ounce of power contained within them, all of it combining inside Ferrum's elemental matrix.

Kalium performed another _cancel_, but there was no effect. He was suddenly scared, releasing his hold on Flara, who fell to her knees. She looked up to see an enraged Ferrum, appearing as if he were about to burst. The man's eyes burned with hatred. It was frightening to the girl.

Finally, the energy was fully absorbed, leaving a highly unstable Ferrum. He began walking forward, closing in on the gang. They in turn, began scampering away, fearful of the power he was holding in. Eventually, he passed by Flara, who was still on her knees. She watched in fear as the man paid no attention and continued to prey upon the hoodlums.

_Let's see them dare to go near Flara once they experience this transmutation._

Ferrum raised his hand and aimed at the cowering gang, who had run out of wall, cornered against the mountainside. In one great burst, he unleashed a reaction that shattered the very wall the men were standing upon. They fell screaming as the dam's infrastructure was blown to bits, releasing the lava reservoir behind it.

Ferrum snapped out of his fury as he witnessed the molten rock speed toward the rest of the city. Turning around in a panic, he found Flara frozen in fear on the ground. He ran over to her and kneeled by her side offering his arms to comfort her. He was shocked when she slapped them away.

"Get away from me!"

The blacksmith was astonished. What had happened? The terrified girl answered him.

"Look what you've done! Consumed by rage and unable to control yourself. Now the entire marketplace will be buried in lava, all because of your unstable power. More power than any man should ever possess."

She began crying.

"You lied to me!"

Ferrum backed off, struck hard by her words. The dam continued to crumble around them. Flara weakly got up and began moving as quickly as he could toward the elevator. As the alchemist watched her disappear down to the bottom floor, he glimpsed the last expression on her lava soaked face: hurt and betrayal.

He hung his head, not caring how close the part of the wall he stood on was to falling apart. It was only when the ground collapsed that he reacted, using his agility to hop over several jagged pieces of rock to reach the elevator. It had returned to the top.

_At least…she's safe._

Broken hearted and ashamed, Ferrum rode the elevator down as the entire facility shook from the destruction of the dam.

* * *

Two towering fire guards escorted a restrained Ferrum through the fire palace, leading him into the throne room. It had been a while since he had seen this place. The last time was when Flame King requested that his father come so that he may update him on his sons' progress. They were doing just fine after his dad's Stasis Catalyst wore off.

This time however, something was different. He finally noticed the change. The large yellow lantern above the throne was empty, once containing the king's only daughter. Ferrum recalled that a prince apparently came to court her, only to upset her and have her chase him out of the kingdom. Oddly enough, there was a giant misunderstanding and somehow, the princess ended up in a happy relationship with some human or other.

_I'm happy for her, at least she can now be free._

The nice thought was interrupted as Ferrum was halted by the guards. Flame King sat before him, a stoic look upon his face. He finally stood up and approached the alchemist, holding his hands behind his back.

"Ferrum the alchemist. You have caused much damage to the land and are responsible for the deaths of several fire elementals."

The young man lowered his head in shame. The king however, smiled.

"Personally, I think it's an excellent display of chaos and evil. Which I believe this kingdom is **lacking **in lately."

He gave an accusatory stare at the people in the throne room. They all looked nervous. Flame King's expression then turned to a serious note.

"Although, it was a major setback at the loss of the dam, so I'm afraid I'll have to turn you over to the courts for a verdict."

Ferrum was led to one side of the throne room, where an apparent assembly of judges was gathered. The foreman of the group stood up, holding a paper.

"Ferrum, son of Argent, you are charged with performing a non-verbal Violent Catalyst transmutation. Your act not only siphoned all the energy from the most productive dam in the kingdom but also caused the destruction of nearly six city blocks."

The judge glared down at the alchemist.

"For your irresponsible actions, you are hereby forbidden from performing any alchemic procedures, unless such acts are in direct response to defending the Fire Kingdom or its assets."

Each word hit Ferrum in his very heart.

"Finally, you are sentenced to two years in the Fire Kingdom military, where hopefully you will learn some control and discipline."

The man put down the paper and slammed his gavel on the table. At this sound, Ferrum was shoved back down the hall to the entrance to the palace. He continued to hang his head in disgust at his own actions.

When he and the guards emerged outside, a crowd was gathered. None of them shouted or yelled at the man, but they all either had a look of anger or sadness upon their faces. Ferrum spotted a familiar face among them. His father. The elder had neither anger nor sadness, only disappointment.

The young man turned away, unable to face his parent and mentor. As he was let to a coach and told to get in, his bindings were removed and he sat down on one of the benches on either side of the wagon. The driver whipped the fire steep pulling the vehicle and the beast began to move forward.

As Ferrum managed one last look at the crowd growing smaller by the second, he found Flara standing among them, still crying. The young alchemist also began to tear up. Flara turned away, walking into the sea of fire elementals and disappearing behind them

At that very moment, Ferrum closed his wet eyes, reaching to grip a locket that hung from his neck. It was shaped like a heart and forged of pure platinum. He had made it himself. Its twin was around the neck of the girl he loved. Or at least…it used to be.

_Flara. I'm sorry._

* * *

**_Hoped you enjoyed and please review._**

**_next entry:_ **The guardian


	3. Entry 3: The Guardian

The Guardian

Total chaos ensued as the invading forces from another world descended upon the silent city below. The attackers believed they had the upmost element of surprise, that they would easily wipe the floor with any resistance on the way to their goal. Aboard the enemy fleet's flagship, a sinister figure stared greedily at the capital as his forces began decimating the infrastructure of the town below. All manner of buildings were blown to pieces as countless lasers blew apart the helpless city streets.

"Haha! All too easy! Move in and secure the palace, I want that portal captured now!"

Those helming the ship slowly dropped the massive cruiser closer to the ground, extending landing gear to make a clean drop. With a bit of groan from the hydraulics holding the ship, the vessel settled into the hard dirt of the planet, sinking in a good several yards. Platoons of soldiers began pouring out of ramps that were lowered to the ground. Upon setting foot on the soil, every troop began firing at the crumbling city as well, not wanting to waste time with anyone who could've possibly survived the onslaught.

Their leader also exited the ship, slowly making his way down a ramp with his arms behind his back, inspecting the scene before him. The town was in rubbles; his men had no trouble carving a path straight to the palace, which he had ordered to not be touched, on the chance that the prize would be damaged. The rest of his fleet remained in close orbit above the city, watching for any possible retaliation. None came for the moment.

The leader grew a suspicious look.

_Hm. Where are all the citizens? Did they really just abandon the city?_

Before the man could ponder further, a levitating vehicle pulled up alongside him. The driver quickly stood straight and saluted.

"Sir, we have your transport."

The commander nodded and climbed into the craft, which sped down the ruined streets of the city heading straight at the castle at its center. A hailing ping was heard from the leader's holo-disk. He pulled the device out and laid it flat on his palm, a 3-D figure of another man appeared on the object.

"Mesmer, shouldn't we be a bit cautious? No resistance has been sighted."

The leader scoffed.

"It doesn't matter general, just get a perimeter around the palace. And move the fleet in closer. I want no interruptions."

Reluctantly, the holographic figure saluted and dissipated. Mesmer watched as his orders were given out. His ships tightened their formation, creating a barrier between them and the castle. After a few more minutes, the leader's vehicle made it to the palace steps, where he got off and ordered the driver to report back to the flagship. The man acknowledged and sped off. Mesmer was greeted at the steps by two elite soldiers, which flanked him as his bodyguards.

The commander proceeded up the stairs with confidence and anticipation.

_Soon, the power of the universe will be mine._

His thoughts of glory were interrupted however, when the guard on his left suddenly fell over. The soldier's body tumbled down the steps as Mesmer and his other protector got low to the ground.

"What was that?"

The guard had no answer; bur didn't have much of a chance anyway. His head jerked as his body went numb. A moment later, he too fell over and down the stairs. Mesmer was now irritated.

"I don't have time for this."

With his powers, the man sensed more shots coming his way. He immediately threw up a force field, deflecting the projectiles. The commander stared with distaste as he saw multiple enemy troops materializing around his ranks of soldiers. The new arrivals instantly outflanked the intruders, beginning to mow them down as Mesmer watched on.

The surprise tactics continued to blast away at the enemy, forcing all the lines into a chokehold in the streets. Mesmer radioed his fleet.

"Tear those fools apart, now!"

"But sir, our men are still among them."

"I don't care! And send a squad down to me. I'll need some assistance breaching the palace."

The officer on the other end accepted the orders and went off the line. Moments later, the enemy ships began firing down upon the battlefield, causing large casualties on both sides as lasers blew large sections of the ground into the air. Mesmer watched as a shuttle flew over to him and landed carefully at the base of the stairs. Once its hatch opened, several dozen elite soldiers piled out, rushing up the steps.

Their leader motioned for them to go on ahead of him to secure the courtyard of the castle. He himself then proceeded up the golden stairway. The climb was tiring top say that least, the path was several hundred feet. Once at the top though, Mesmer laid his greedy eyes upon the palace and made his way toward the front gate.

The man was stopped by a sudden energy blast, which he reacted fast enough to block with his shield. Stepping back, he saw his assailants. Upon the edge of the palace's roof stood a small group of identically dressed beings. They were quite tall to say the least, and all had a crimson vest distinguishing their stature. Their warrior skirts fluttered a bit in the wind, revealing heavy greaves upon their legs. Each was also equipped with a massive double-ended spear, one of which was pointed at the invading commander.

Mesmer glared at the new threat.

"Well, if it isn't the guardians of the portal. A bit late wouldn't you say? The city is rubble and your troops lay in waste. Why not just move aside so that you don't get killed?"

The leader of the guardians, by the looks of him, stepped forward and leaped off the castle wall. The rest of his men followed. With great agility, each one landed safely on front of the palace gate, directly between it and Mesmer's group. The leader then pointed his weapon at the vile commander.

"Casualties and destruction are expected of your presence Mesmer; we simply took precautions to protect the citizens."

The vile man stepped forward, grinning.

"I hate to say it, but your efforts were in vain. I have an entire fleet blasting away all your remaining defenses, including you, if you so prefer."

His smile was vicious but the head of the guardians was left unshaken. He glared at Mesmer and motioned for his squad to ready themselves. The invaders all raised their weapons and prepared to take down the group of sentries in their way. However, they were interrupted by a sudden explosion.

Mesmer turned to see an incredible sight. His flagship had been crippled. A massive hole was visible from the smoking vessel's hull. Multiple aftershocks of combustion were heard from within the ship as its reactors detonated. Soon enough, the cruiser lost its hydraulic support and fell over with an enormous crash, decimating any soldiers nearby and blowing away any debris left behind.

The leader was shocked and turned back to the guardians.

"What did you do you snake!?"

The foreman of the group of protectors just continued his stare. Mesmer's attention was drawn as multiple ships suddenly came out of hyperspace, phasing in directly in front of his own fleet. The new vessels were pure silver, with a design that suggested they were used primarily for defensive purposed. In a matter of moments, the ships formed into a line and charged some sort of weapons on their hulls.

A second later, several white blasts flew across the sky, tearing through the enemy ships as if they were nothing. Mesmer watched in horror as his entire fleet was decimated in an instant. He'd never admit it but he was now afraid, observing the debris and twisted metal that was falling from the sky.

"Damn!"

The lead guardian stepped forward.

"It's strange to think you don't realize how willing others are to join in our cause after the destruction you rain down upon their worlds."

Mesmer glared back at him.

"Fleet or not, you won't stop a ground assault. Fire!"

The tyrant's trooped blasted their weapons at the guardians, who spun their spears rapidly to form shields and deflect the shots. Several of them fired back, knocking back the invaders. Mesmer suddenly charged, raising his force field to avoid damage and ramming right past the defenders. The guardian leader acted quickly and faced two of his comrades.

"Amaron, Sentin! Follow him and keep the fool away from the portal. If the worst comes to pass...bury it."

The two guardians nodded and made a dash for the gates, which Mesmer had already broken down. The rest of the protectors continued their battle against the enemy. A battle they were, unfortunately, losing.

* * *

Amaron and his brother sprinted down the grand hall of the palace, hot on the tail of the vile man who was tearing their home apart as he searched for the portal. Mesmer reached the center of the building, only to see that nothing special was there. The sole item in the area was a decorated mosaic floor, which displayed two symbols that no one had ever recognized.

The tyrant grinned, then slammed his foot down on the glass, shattering the art and revealing the secret staircase below. Not bothering to walk, the man cast himself into the center of the pit. The two brothers quickly followed.

As they fell, the guardians threw bolts of energy at the intruder. He simply brought up a force field to block the attcks. Sentin growled in frustration.

"Ugh! How do we fight him?"

Amaron studied their enemy's shields. He noticed it wasn't possible for Mesmer to fully engulf himself in protection, only the parts of him he wanted to block with.

"We'll have to wait for an opening when he's distracted. Keep on the pressure once we corner him on the ground."

Sentin nodded. A few moments later, Mesmer impacted on the floor, unharmed by the fall due to his fields. He resumed running toward prize, lust in his eyes. The guardians were right behind him, still trying to fire upon the intruder and still having no effect.

The commander reached a massive door and proceeded to barge right through with his powers. The entrance buckled from the hit and caused multiple parts of the walls and ceiling to tumble to the floor. Amaron and Sentin dodged the debris and made it into the room ahead, where Mesmer had stopped before a large blue rift floating n the room's center. He smiled maliciously.

"Finally. The cosmic locks shall be mine!"

Amaron wasted no time in rushing toward the tyrant and attempting to impale the being. Sadly, he saw it coming and blocked with a shield. The man was getting quite irritated by the interruptions.

"You two are a bother."

With lightening speed, Sentin shot his spear at Mesmer's chest, which was theoretically unprotected. Disappointingly, the man glared at the guardian as the weapon struck an invisible force.

"I am always aware of how many enemies I face fool, do not think I forgot about you."

He shoved the guardian toward a wall, which he struck and groaned with pain. Amaron attempted to counter-attack but was hastily blocked again by an agitated Mesmer.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear."

A laser shot was fired. The towering being froze, not knowing exactly who had been hit. A moment later however, Amaron backed away from his enemy, who was pointing a gun at him. The guardian placed his hand on his abdomen, felling for the impact area. He stopped when he felt a large amount of blood. Looking down, Amaron saw a entry wound near his ribs, spouting his body fluids. After a minute, he began coughing up blood.

"No!"

Sentin charged again, but this time to his brother's side. He kneeled down as his sibling continued to lose consciousness. Mesmer grinned with satisfaction and jumped into the portal. The injured man weakly looked to his concerned other.

"Sentin...stop him...I'll...seal the entrance."

The younger one shook his head.

"I can't just leave you here to die. The rest are probably already gunned down. Our weapons are no match for Mesmer's technology."

Amaron coughed a bit more.

"We have something greater than technology."

He raised his arm to show a plethora of runic tattoos that reached all the way up to his shoulder. Sentin had similar markings, but much less. He shook his head.

"I'm not as experienced as you. How can I hope to stop him with just the basics?"

Amaron managed to smile.

"You were always the inventive one brother, you can do it. Now go, otherwise the whole universe may crumble."

The elder sibling gently closed his eyes. His body went limp and his arm fell next to him. Sentin had many tears running down his cheeks. Amaron was still breathing weakly, but was obviously saving his strength to block the portal. The younger guardian got up and turned to the portal.

_I don't even know what's beyond this thing. Why do we protect it?_

Deciding to dwell on the matter later, Sentin ran through the portal, disappearing into the void. Amaron struggled to open his eye to see that his brother had made it through. He also heard multiple footsteps in the hall. They were not those of the guardians. With the last of his energy, the dying protector activated several of the tattoos on his arm and pointed to the ceiling. The whole room shook, barely withstanding the spell's effects. As Mesmer's soldiers entered the room, they all held on at the resulting quake.

Before any of them could fire upon the guardian however, Amaron brought his hand down, pulling the ceiling down with it. Save for the protector, everyone screamed as rubble began crushing the floors and anyone inside. Before a large section of the roof smashed down upon him, Amaron smiled once more.

"Be safe, my brother.

* * *

Sentin ignored the irrefutable beauty of the structure before him and immediately ran up the golden staircase of the floating temple. He could hear some sort of banging. He assumed it was his foe trying to break into the mysterious building at the top. The guardian quickened his pace and sprinted through a golden arch.

Mesmer was indeed trying to break in, slamming his energy shields against the front door of the fortress. it was having little effect, but clearly the object was being progressively damaged. Sentin aimed and fired a blast from the tip of his spear. The commander heard it and raised a shield on his arm, deflecting the shot. The vile man turned his attention fully to the young protector, a sinister glare on his face.

"I have never met someone as foolish, or stubborn, as you."

Mesmer rapidly threw up his gun and fired at Sentin, who swiftly chanted a short spell and formed a small rift in front of him. The laser went through and disappeared. The angered invader looked around, expecting the guardian to open another point in space to fire the blast back at him. No such thing occurred, Sentin simply charged. Mesmer shook his head, shooting more lasers at the tall figure. The protector swallowed all of them with more rifts. Eventually, his foe decided to abandon the ranged weapon and instead braced himself to take the strike of Sentin's spear.

To his utter shock, the guardian opened another rift in front of himself and barreled through, vanishing. Mesmer kept up his defensive stance as he spun around to face every direction, desperately trying to locate his enemy. Out of nowhere, a tiny rift opened near him and spat out a laser blast. The man deflected it and it was re-eaten by another portal. Another blast performed the same move, which was also deflected and re swallowed.

As this process continued, Mesmer realized he was beginning to tire. But he didn't have time to make a break for it, there were now so many portals that he could barely keep up with the lasers. It took a few minutes but eventually, he was too slow and exhausted. A shot hit him in his shoulder, earning a shout of pain.

Mesmer fell to his knees, trying to stop the wound from bleeding. Sentin reappeared before him, a solemn look upon his face. The guardian stepped up to his beaten foe and raised his spear. Before the blow could be struck though, several bolts were fired into the man's chest. He gasped, then fell backwards from the impacts. Mesmer struggled to his feet, holding his blaster shakily.

"Never assume you have your opponent on the ropes, foolish guardian."

He gave an amused laugh as he stared at Sentin's body, completely motionless.

What he was not prepared for was the sudden impaling of his abdomen. As a gush of blood flew from the tyrant's throat, he gaped a the spear head protruding from his body. With utmost disbelief, he turned his head to look behind him. Sentin was at his back, holding the weapon that was now skewered through Mesmer's form. The defeated enemy's eyes shook in despair as he questioned the whole event. Sentin slowly met the being's gaze, his eyes full of determination and a fair amount of hatred.

"Never assume the enemy you're fighting has no means of deception."

Mesmer glanced back at the body of the one he had 'killed'. It was fading into the air, revealing the illusion. He had no thought but astonishment. It would be his final. Sentin activated his spear, igniting the end of the weapon red before a violent explosion vaporized Mesmer's body, leaving not even ashes. The guardian simply held his position for a moment, calming himself so as to release all of the raging anger in his mind.

_It's over. The others, including Amaron, have been avenged._

The protector stood up and looked sadly back through the golden gate he had entered through. He had fulfilled his duty as a guardian, a protector of something he did not even understand. It was out of the question to think of how unfair it was. The man could not judge what was fair or not for him to know. The leader of the group was the sole individual who knew the true nature of the portal and, by extension, the strange building that was located on the other side.

Sentin remembered that he had no way to return. The rift was blocked of by his brother's final act, making sure no one else disturbed the gateway. Everyone he knew was likely dead, blown away by Mesmer's tyrannical army. He shed several tears, thinking of the friends he would never see again. His noble fellow guardians, gunned down while protecting the palace. Sentin fell to his hands and knees, dropping his spear to the ground.

There he remained, weeping at the realization that he was trapped, alone, in an empty space from which he could see no way to escape from. He didn't know how long he was stuck in his grieving. The only thing that snapped him out of his anguish was the fact that his weapon was now hovering inches from his neck.

The guardian jumped on his back, trying to scooch away from the floating spear, which followed him until he slid himself against a wall. The tip of the weapon stopped just before piercing his throat. Sentin waited, waited for whatever force was commanding the object to finish him off. After all, why live out the rest of his life on a deserted isle drifting in empty space.

To his surprise, he instead heard a voice.

"What is your business, intruder?"

The tone was demanding. Sentin shakily turned his head to look around the courtyard. There was no one. He looked closer, trying to spot the source of the voice. Still nothing.

"Up here."

The guardian tilted his head back, gazing into the air. His eyes widened at what he saw. Before him levitated a species of being he had never seen in his life. This was saying something, considering the amount of cultural studies he had performed with the guardians. This life-form had a spherical body, which supported about four pairs of arms, each one appeared delicate and ended in needle-thick fingers, four on each hand.

The creature's face was stuck in the center of his orb-shaped main body. A hostile glare was upon it as two red eyes were glued to Sentin's. The entity's lower half was concealed by a golden cloak, which accented its dark, cobalt colored skin. Looking further down, the young protector saw that there were no legs or limb whatsoever protruding from the cloth. The unknown form did not in fact even **have** a lower body.

"Who, what, why are you, are you going to...kill me?"

Sentin was babbling at this point. The floating being looked confused suddenly. it looked around the courtyard, noticing the damage caused by the guardian's battle with Mesmer. It spoke again.

"Replay courtyard footage 46G, time dilation of 132%"

Sentin was clueless as to who the being was talking to, but watched in amazement as holographic images began appearing around the area. They displayed Mesmer, trying to smash his way into the temple, Sentin charging at the enemy, tricking him, and finally ending his vile existence.

The holograms vanished as the recording ended. Sentin's spear fell to the ground. The guardian looked to the floating creature for an explanation. It appeared cautious.

"You. You're the one who stopped the breach?"

The protector nodded nervously. The being seemed to be studying him.

"Well, I have to say, it was impressive."

Sentin's eyes went wide as he was lifted off the ground and was brought to his feet. The entity was holding his hand up to him. The young man understood now.

"Telekinesis?"

The being nodded.

"Indeed. Useful for all the sorting and fetching."

Sentin was lost. The spherical creature snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head.

"Oh! I apologize. i never introduced myself. I am Index, archivist of the Citadel of Truth."

Index bowed in midair. Sentin's mind was blurred by all the questions that were surging. However, he managed to control himself and took a step toward the hovering archivist.

"Why did you spare my life?"

Index smiled a bit.

"It is the decree of the Citadel. Any who defend this temple without hesitation are welcome to enter it's presence. You, my friend, have earned the chance to grant your deepest desire."

_Friend?_

Sentin suddenly grew hope in his heart.

"Follow me, I will take you to the central chamber."

* * *

Sentin remained silent as Index escorted him up the stairs of the Citadel, a wide hall lined by blue burning torches. The archivist finally emerged into a circular room, which the guardian soon entered as well. In the core of the chamber, a blue orb sat suspended in midair, shining silently as it slowly rotated. Index turned to face his guest.

"By the way. I'm afraid I never asked your name."

The guardian bowed as his host had earlier.

"I am Sentin, guardian of the portal that leads to your temple."

He looked at the spherical being with sadness.

"The only one remaining."

Index's face softened until it was a look of pity. He hovered closer to Sentin and set one of his many arms on the man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry my friend, I understand your loss."

The two remained there for a minute, in deep solace. Then the archivist grew a hopeful smile.

"If there is no where else to go, you are free to remain here. It does get quite lonely with just the machinery."

He chuckled a bit, earning a smile from Sentin.

"We...we could be friends?"

Index widened his smile.

"Of course!"

He suddenly gave a serious stare.

"As long as you're not planning to disrupt the Citadel's activities."

Sentin was a bit frightened of the change in tone. before he could respond however, a blue glow engulfed him. Looking over, the man saw that the orb had targeted him. The feeling was strange, as if the object were peering into his very soul. he felt himself getting dizzy. The sphere suddenly turned a bright green, bathing the guardian in a healing energy. Sentin felt all of his wounds disappearing and his strength returning.

The man stood tall, feeling fully restored. Index had lost his intimidating expression, replaced by a delighted one.

"It's official then, the Citadel has seen your thoughts and decreed you worthy. Step forward and state your desire."

Sentin thought hard for a moment, wondering what the orb could give him.

"Be warned though, this power is not omnipotent, there are limits to its influence."

The guardian pondered further. After a minute, he actually smiled once again, turning to Index.

"If I may say, I do not need the orb to grant my desire. I only need to ask you one thing."

The archivist was caught off guard, staring at the man with shock. Sentin continued.

"May I accept the honor of remaining at the Citadel, acting as its unwavering protector against any who seek its power for dark purpose?"

Index remained astonished. Eventually however, he recovered his senses and floated closer to the guardian. He had an excited smile.

"You...you would accept such a task? I hope you realize my friend, this job requires you to never leave the temple again. I would hate to condemn you to the same fate as myself."

Sentin bowed once more.

"And I would hate to leave you to your fate all by yourself. Would it not be better for both of us to stick together?"

He held out his hand. Index took a moment, then used one of his delicate appendages to shake the larger one offered to him. His face was full of joy.

"To think, after countless cycles of being alone on this wondrous place, I finally have a companion to share its knowledge with."

Index had a few tears in his eyes.

"I am forever in your debt Sentin, you have given what the Citadel could never grant me."

The towering man was in disbelief. Before, he had nothing, now, he was being given a second chance to protect not only his sworn duty, but his friends. This time, he would not fail, that was his promise to the universe. There were however, many questions left unanswered.

"What do your mean by _cycle_?"

Index hovered over and placed an arm around Sentin's shoulders. He motioned for the man to walk with him as he opened a nearby door that lead into an archive.

"My friend, you have much to learn..."

* * *

**_Just so you guys know, the main purpose of these stories is now to provide any 'in-depth' information that you might be wondering about certain characters and events in COT. For this reason, feel free to request anything you can think of in a review or PM, then I'll see if I can make an entry for it for you to enjoy._**

**_(Sorry if this wasn't that good. I'll admit it was rushed due to my job.)_**

**_Thanks for your support and input. Later._**

**_next entry:_**The Archivist


	4. Entry 4: The Archivist

The Archivist

There were few things more terrifying than watching an entire planet crumble to pieces before your very eyes. The unheard screams of its millions of inhabitants, the vaporizing liquid off of its surface, the molten core instantly cooling and turning to dark volcanic chunks. This was the scene witnessed by the being known as Index, the single permanent resident of Elodius's artificial moon.

The planet itself now drifted as a debris field, drawn toward the cataclysmic event that marked the end of the universe. Not only the remains of the dead world, but every form of matter and energy careened past, influenced by an unimaginably powerful force into a single point of existence.

Index clung to the guard rails of his home's balcony as he witnessed the data pillars littering the surface of the moon begin to crack and collapse from the force of the pull. His eyes trembled in horror as all that knowledge literally blew away in the cosmic wind. He still couldn't understand.

_It's not a black hole, it's not a singularity, WHAT IS HAPPENING!?_

The keeper of the satellite's information suddenly lost his grip on the railing, sending the spherical being shooting into the sky. The moon's atmosphere had been swept away, leaving only empty space for him to be thrown at. Index desperately tried to find something to grab onto. At best, he was able to use his telekinesis to pull a shard of one of the pillars toward him.

Latching on to the remnant, the being looked back to place he had called home his entire life. The colossal construct that took his people millennium to build was being torn in half by the energy of the pull, sending countless circuitry, panels, and wiring drifting into space, only to be caught in the force and flung at higher speeds than the rest of the destroyed moon, fluttering straight at the source of gravity.

Tears welled up in Index's eyes. His life's work gone, forever lost to the destructive power that the universe had unleashed. He turned away, not wanting to see any more. His gaze shifted to the direction where every bit of existence was being drawn to. All around him, streaks of stardust, matter, and energy flew like ribbons into a single point, which shined an extremely deep purple.

The keeper once again began losing his hold on the object that granted him stability. The shard of pillar was beginning to disintegrate. Index desperately tried to hold the sliver together with his powers, but it was no use. The universe's pull was stronger. He was cast into the void once more.

_This is the end. I will die now, along with the rest of the universe…_

Index was envious of many other species at this point, those who required some form of intake to keep their blood enriched. His kind had no such need. He would drift aimlessly toward the center, until he slowly perished from sub-zero exposure. The being could already feel his arms begin to stiffen, so frail that it took very little to freeze up the thin limbs. He closed his eyes, waiting for his body to continue feeling the effects of the total vacuum of space. Strangely enough, he felt no more. In fact, his arms began to regain their fluidity.

Index returned his sight, searching for the cause of his reanimation. What he saw astonished him. All around, the streams of energy were stumbling over each other, unable to keep up with the rest of the material that was hurtling toward the center. The keeper calculated that matter was now traveling at the speed of light, causing a bottleneck to be formed, limiting the flow of particles as the universe continued to shrink.

Several of the energy bands were being whipped around violently, threatening to strike the helpless Elodian who was drifting though the void. Index shut his eyes tight as a stream of tight-particle rays passed into his vicinity. He expected to be instantly vaporized, but somehow, he was left unharmed. Gazing at the rays, he saw that they had collided with several others, creating a completely unknown energy signature which the being could not identify.

Index felt delirious as his vision began to blur. He was so disoriented that he failed to notice his speed was decreasing. The rest of existence flew past him, not wasting any time to race toward the center of gravity. After several more minutes, nothing but absolute darkness surrounded the spherical entity. He held on to his consciousness, wondering why he had been left behind.

The purple light had grown smaller, now barely visible in the pitch dark void. Index managed to see the final fringes of energy swirl into the phenomenon. In the blink of an eye, there was nothing. Index could swear he was dead, only to be caught off guard by a sudden impossibly bright light in the distance. He was instantly blinded. There was no noise in space, but if there were, the keeper would swear that the light was the result of the most powerful explosion he had ever witnessed.

Everything faded to white, leaving the Elodian to finally pass out, drifting off into his mind wondering what the afterlife would hold.

* * *

Index could feel something around him, blowing, hitting his face, like a gentle breeze back on his planet. In his dreams he smiled, believing the whole incident he had suffered through was a bad nightmare. However, his blissful ignorance was interrupted as he felt that he was not on stable ground.

The keeper flung open his eyes and peered at his surroundings. He was in shock. The world he knew was indeed, no more. Before him, random pieces of rock were floating by in the void of space, completely independent of any nearby body. The greatest sight of all however, was at the spot where the universe had previously been sucked into oblivion.

A swirling nexus of cosmic energies was slowly flinging off arcs of matter and stardust into the boundless and empty universe. Nebulas were already beginning to form as the universe was reborn from the violent explosion Index had witnessed who knows how long ago. For all he knew, it could have been a few minutes considering the theories that existence was formed within the first seconds of a massive detonation.

The Eoldian noticed he was lying flat on the ground and attempted to float into the air. He immediately began wobbling and fell back down. Rubbing his head, Index tried again several times, only to repeat the same failure. Growing frustrated, he telekinetically grabbed a nearby chunk of rock and smashed it into another. Both masses were blown apart into bits, which scattered in all directions. Index covered his eyes to shield them from the debris.

As the shards of stone cleared away, the keeper closed his eyes and began to cry again. Where was he? What had happened to the world he knew? For the first time in his life he had no answers and no source of knowledge to find them either. He lay on the cold rocky asteroid on which he was stranded, unable to formulate a course of action.

_Maybe I am dead. Maybe this is the afterlife. Just a void of absolute isolation. _

Index sighed. He was stranded in nothingness. What else was there to say? He had no reason to live any longer. The keeper gazed back at the maelstrom of matter end energy that was forging a new reality. He of course had no idea what it really was, nor did he care for that matter.

_No interest in seeking knowledge? I must truly be lost. _

The Elodian stared blankly into darkness, occasionally witnessing some raw materials fly by at incredible speeds into the empty canvas of the universe. He frowned, wondering what he was to do for the next few days before he died of malnourishment.

"I don't suppose I can eat these rocks can I?"

He had no idea who he was shouting at. But the greatest surprise came in the form of an answer.

"I believe not. Unless that's something you did in your cycle."

Index immediately turned around, eyes darting around searching for the source of the voice. It didn't take long for him to see an angelic woman standing a few yards away, smiling warmly at the being. Index thought it was ridiculous, but she appeared to be on fire. Not daring to break his view of the entity, the keeper slowly tired one more time to float into the air.

To his pleasant surprise, he succeeded in staying up this time. The glowing woman smiled brighter.

"It seems you've adjusted to the physics. That's good to see."

Index was confused. Adjusted? It's as if she were suggesting that physics had been rewritten, but that was impossible. Right? He hovered closer to the fiery being.

"Who are you?"

The woman came closer, still giving a warm expression.

"I am Solara, precursor of the multiverse forge."

The Elodian was lost.

"Precursor? What are you talking about? And the multiverse is just a myth, how can you be from there?"

Solara sighed a little.

"There is much you do not understand about your situation dear. Would you be willing to follow me to the answers?"

She held out her hand. Index was suddenly ecstatic. He was being offered answers, the potential to realize what had transpired earlier. He reached our nervously to the shining lady, remembering she was made of flames. She chuckled a bit.

"Don't worry. My fire won't burn you."

Index finally reached Solara's hand. It had a pleasant warmth, making the spherical being imagine a comforting embrace. For the first time since he had been cast into total chaos, he felt…safe. If anything, he guessed, this woman was a mother.

The two individuals floated further off the ground as Solara began building up her incredible flames. In a flash, she rocketed herself and her new companion into the void. Index was widely curious as to where the lady was headed. After all, existence had just been swallowed and spat back out again. How could there be anywhere to go?

He worked up the courage to begin questioning.

"What happened to the universe?"

Solara looked sadly to the nexus in the distance, still spitting out cosmic matter in all directions.

"Remorsefully, you have witnessed the end of your multiverse's cycle, and the birth of the next."

Index was stunned, suddenly refusing to take his eyes off the pulsing remains of the explosion in far off space.

"Cycle…how is that possible?"

The fiery precursor continued her end of the conversation.

"Once a multiverse reaches the extent of its expansion, two cosmic locks activate a physics reversal, saving existence form pulling itself apart and in the process, paving the way for a new array of dimensions and universes."

Solara continued to explain patiently as Index held fast to his questioning, overcome by the vast knowledge he was absorbing. Eventually, he began to accept that what the woman was saying was truth: that his world as he knew it no longer existed. The keeper gazed sadly into deep space as they flew.

"So how did I survive?"

The glowing entity looked down to the spherical being.

"You are one of several beings or objects that were, for some reason or another, spared from the cyclic cataclysm, an anomaly that is forever freed from the constraints of time. You are now, a precursor."

Index's eyes widened at the thought. Immortality, more or less. He didn't know what to think of it. On one hand, he had all the time in existence to rebuild what he had lost. On the other, he could never become too attached to his creations, as they would eventually fall victim to the same fate as his beloved home.

"I. I don't think I want that."

Solara halted their movement and stared at her companion.

"I understand this has been sudden for you, but you must know, we have a life beyond our cycles, there is something out there for everyone who was sheltered from the end."

Index looked hollowly into the woman's eyes.

"The only thing I strive for is knowledge. Such a thing is lost when entire universes collapse. How can I hope to find my place outside the continuum?"

To the keeper's upmost surprise, Solara grew a rather large grin.

"My friend, you have no idea how wrong you are."

Resuming the course she had set, the fiery entity accelerated toward their destination. Index was growing increasingly curious, until he finally saw where they were headed. His eyes were astonished by the beauty of what he saw.

Coming up fast was the most amazing structure the Elodian had ever seen. A magnificent temple, adorned with its own wreath of illustrious mountains, each having several glimmering waterfalls that dissipated into the void below. Anything that wasn't natural gave off a golden shine, increasing the overall beauty of the building. A winding staircase led to the main platform, which consisted of a peaceful courtyard imprinted with two overlapping symbols that he did not recognize.

Solara smiled as she noticed the keeper's gaze.

"Welcome, to the Citadel of Truth."

Index was astounded by the fact that this unbelievable place had survived the destruction of the multiverse, at the same time thinking what a crime shame it would be if such a thing transpired.

"It is here that I bring any newly revealed precursors, hoping to help them find their way in the reborn existence of which they are unfamiliar. Those who know me tend to refer to me as the Guiding Torch to sanctuary."

Solara giggled.

"Honestly, I prefer just my name, but I don't mind. Oh my!"

She placed her hand over her mouth.

"I never asked **your **name!"

The spherical being smiled, enjoying the company of this mysterious, yet easygoing lady.

"I am Index, keeper of…what used to be, the records of the Elodian people."

Solara reached her other arm out and placed a hand on the being's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Index."

Then she lightened up.

"But I believe I already know where you would fit into the multiverse, and I promise you, it will never have to be ripped right from your hands."

The keeper looked hopefully into Solara's eyes.

"You…you do?"

She nodded.

"The Citadel is not just a safe-haven for weary travelers; it is also the greatest archive of surviving knowledge in existence."

At these words, Index could have fainted.

* * *

The two precursors finished their trek up the golden staircase within the Citadel, entering into the massive main chamber, holding nothing more than a glowing blue orb at its center. The object paid no attention to the visitors. Index assumed it was just a device for some unknown purpose.

Solara motioned for the hovering being to walk toward one of the golden walls. He was confused at first, wondering what she meant. This was explained as the wall slowly rose up, revealing a multitude of large shelves containing computerized entries and data drives. The Elodian felt like the room had been perfectly for him as he floated within, not even blinking as he rotated his body to take in all the beautiful sources of information and history. His eyes seemed to sparkle as the shelves began to react to his presence, bringing up holographic reference sheets which explained the details of the records they kept:

**Physics of the cycles.**

**Dimensional Organizer.**

**Catalog of sentient beings.**

**Precursors.**

**Histories of previous cycles.**

Index was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of material.

_I could remain here for millions of years and never run out of new items to read and analyze. And every cycle, I'd have an entire new universe of entries to catalog and explore._

Realizing he had left his new friend outside, Index quickly snapped out of his trance and headed back into the main room. The archive closed behind him. Solara smiled with joy as she saw the enormous grin on the keeper's face.

"It's…unbelievable."

The fiery precursor giggled.

"I thought you'd like it. So, will you stay? Beyond my occasional visits the Citadel has no permanent residents; you would be the sole protector of this fortress's secrets and knowledge."

Her tone grew a fair bit more serious now.

"Will you take on this responsibility? Will you hold the continuing honor of the precursors, guarding these archives from all who seek it for dark purpose?"

Index held a hand to his lower (well, lowest point of) body, which was apparently where his heart was.

"I swear on my life."

Without warning, the blue orb in the chamber shot a sapphire beam at the Elodian, startling him. The light wasn't harming him, so he allowed the Citadel to continue digging into his mind. After a moment, the sphere flashed green and cut off its beam. Solara stepped forward.

"The temple has peered into your thoughts and found you true to your beliefs, perhaps now would be the time to ask it for your desire?"

Index nodded. He floated a bit closer to the blue sphere and closed his eyes, focusing on what he wanted most. Again, the orb reacted to him, bathing him in its blue light and reading his most treasured wish. A minute later, the artifact shot a red beam at the keeper's chest. This one did not harm him either, but began to materialize something around his 'neck'. The energy formed into a delicate chain around his body, followed by a small pendant hanging from the bottom, which contrasted with his light robe that covered his non-existent lower half.

The beams disappeared and the orb rotated silently, having provided its verdict on the new precursor. The emblem around the Elodian's chain displayed the overlaying symbols he had seen in the courtyard. He gazed at them intently before Solara got his attention.

"Well done, Index. You have been accepted. You are now the protector of the archives of the Citadel of Truth."

The spherical being smiled, then responded.

"It's all thanks to you Solara, you truly were my Guiding Torch this day."

The precursor blushed and smiled back.

"Oh, come here you."

With that, the two beings shared a thankful embrace. Both were happy to have met such a wonderful companion, someone to talk to in times of sorrow such as this. Eventually, they separated.

"And don't worry, I'll stop by every once in a while. Besides that, I'm afraid you'll be on your own."

Index nodded.

"I understand, you have much to do yourself. I shall look forward to the visits. Thank you, for everything."

The fiery woman nodded back and turned to leave. Before she descended down the stairs, she turned back and grinned one more time.

"May Infinity and Eternity watch over you."

And she was gone.

Index looked down to his pendant, holding it in one of his many arms. He smiled.

_Limitless, endless. Just like knowledge._

The hovering precursor brought his hands up.

"Now, let's see if I can work this thing."

Using his telekinetic power, Index began to produce multiple holo-screens around the circular room, intent on learning all he needed to protect and sort the information held within the astounding fortress.

* * *

_I am the precursor Index, Archivist of the Citadel of Truth._

_I share with those who value knowledge,_

_And withhold it from those who seek its use as a weapon._

_I am here, isolated, but not alone, to organize the greatest collection of treasure in the Multiverse._

_When all is consumed, this temple shall endure, carrying on the torch that others have left behind._

_My duty is to order,_

_My alliance is to truth._

_I have a place it this world._

_I have purpose._

* * *

**_A bit short, hope it's no big deal. Remember, throw any requests my way (PM or review)._**

**_Hope you enjoyed and please review!_**

**_next entry:_ **The Chronicle


	5. Entry 5: The Chronicle

The Chronicle

This was no dimension here, just a lowly drifting asteroid in the middle of the free space of the multiverse. The only thing that could make the location any gloomier was if the far off galaxies and stars were not set in the background. Luckily enough, these objects also allowed those who knew of the asteroid's existence to find it relatively easily based on star charts and other forms of maps.

This was no simple rock however. Atop the gently rotating mass of minerals and ore was a single structure, surrounded on all sides by dozens of docked ships and other forms of transportation. Some could make the trip on their own; others didn't live that far away, often coming to take a load off from their infinitely complicated lives.

This port was no hotel or vacation retreat. It was not an exquisite casino or the most grand of all inter-dimensional convenience stores. It wasn't even a repair station. Yet how, you wonder, did it attract so many individuals? Why would they waste their time at some unprogressive location when there's a whole plethora of universes to explore?

Two reasons. One: Those who visited were beings that had no meaning for the word time. To them, it was either a term they could brush off and ignore, or a merciful force that they could not enjoy. Second: This was a tavern, a place to let out all your complaints or share stories of one's travels through the multiverse.

Inside the bar, many precursors made themselves at home, drinking away the memories of their lost cycle, dramatically reenacting various adventures, or simply hanging out with long not seen friends. Even with all the conversation going on, the atmosphere within the room was fairly relaxed and peaceful. The bar owner was making small talk with a mysterious man sitting on the bench.

Nobody seemed to notice as a dark red cloaked figure quietly eased the door open and gently swung it back in with no noise. A few glances were thrown toward them but other than that no reaction. The hooded being turned their head a few times, scanning the tavern as if looking for someone. Their search ended when direction was centered at the back corner of the place, where a rather cheery looking man was sitting with his legs brought up onto the table.

He appeared to be writing something in a massive and ancient book. From a distance, no one could tell what the cover read. Every so often he would chuckle quietly to himself, making some think he was a bit of a nut, but in reality he was both writing **and **reading. His text had a brown surface, heavily deteriorated from seemingly years of use and exposure. One of the corners in particular was in bad condition, presumably the spot where the man usually opened it from.

The cloaked figure made its way through the tables, chairs, drunks, and storytellers, who all paid little attention to the presence of the being, choosing instead to continue with their activities. As the hooded entity neared the reading man, he noticed and looked up, a curious expression upon his face.

"Hello there. May I help you?"

His voice was exceptionally friendly, the brightest and most cheery person the figure had ever encountered. He also held a smile, awaiting a response form the being standing before him. The dark cloak pulled out a chair beside the man and took a seat, demonstrating excellent posture, apparently trying to be polite. At last, it spoke.

"Perhaps. Are you the Sojourner?"

The man was a bit surprised. For one the voice was feminine, for another, he was caught off by the fact that someone could recognize him so easily. However, being a truthful person, he smiled and answered properly.

"Why yes, I am. But those who know me well just can me Sojourn. I've long ago forgotten my real name anyway so it gives me some closure to have a usable identity."

The hooded woman nodded and reached out her hand from underneath her cloaks depths. The appendage appeared to be glowing white. Sojourn was intrigued but knew better than to be rude. He grasped the offered hand and shook lightly, still holding his soft smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Sojourn," the woman stated with an upbeat voice of her own.

The man carefully closed his text and placed it on the table. He then sat up straight and reached for his drink, which he had barely touched since arriving. After a nice sip, he placed the glass back down and returned his attention to his visitor.

"And who might you be friend?"

The hooded head looked around the bar for a moment, making sure no one was watching. Satisfied that everyone was distracted, she reached up and pulled her cover back just enough to reveal her face, which instantly caused the man's eyes to widen and his mouth to drop open.

"Holy crud! You're-"

Before he could finish his exclamation, the woman had silenced him with her hand, now covering his lips so that his speech would be undistinguishable. Regrettably, his shout had caused an unusually quietness in the bar. The cloaked lady looked around at all the faces now staring at her and the man. The reader quickly put up his hand and smiled through the hand covering his mouth.

"Sorry, just got a little excited. Nothing to worry about."

Although it was muffled, his voice seemed to reach the other patrons, who slowly returned to their business. The woman lowered her hand and it was seen that a light glare was present on her soft features.

"Please, I need you to be a little more discreet!"

She was quietly shouting, almost like a hiss but she did her best to make it sound non-aggravated. The man still had wide eyes but responded with the same voice his visitor used.

"You're the Guiding Torch! The precursor Solara!"

The woman sighed. Her eyes rolled a bit as her angelic face continued to glow its gentle white.

"Yes, and now you understand why I have to hide it sometimes. People tend to over react."

Sojourn leaned back in his chair, looking somewhat saddened.

"I hadn't thought of that, I apologize miss."

Solara finally smiled, reaching over to place a hand on the man's shoulder.

"It's alright, you didn't know. Now, about why I came…"

Sojourn's expression changed to hopeful, suddenly interested in what the Ancestral Flame had to say.

"It's rumored that you're a traveler, one who keeps an extensive record of your journeys throughout the multiverse. I was curious to know how you do it, not just out of pure curiosity but also to help gather information for a friend of mine."

The man's face grew questionable for a moment and he rubbed his chin in deep thought. Solara waited patiently for the answer. He then cracked a grin.

"Sure! After all, you're probably the most trustworthy being in existence. I'd be honored to show you my work."

The fiery precursor smiled back, joyful that the man had found a reason to speak with her. He directed her attention to the book that lay on the table. Solara glimpsed at the cover, which depicted a sword, a skull, a vine of some unknown fruit, and a strange flying creature. Written across the top of the text was a very strange word, one that she could not quite pronounce.

Sojourn slid the book over so that it rested evenly between the two of them.

"The Enchiridion; a 'manual' if you will. This enchanted text conforms its contents to whatever task its owner requires. Contained in the pages are maps, detours, hazards, and helpful advice for scouring the multiverse. All these things help me travel safely to and fro, never having to be worried about a bad trip."

Solara watched intently as Sojourn flipped through several pages, showing multiple images and chapters on various dimensional anomalies, inhabitants, and an insurmountable amount of other knowledge. The woman's eyes were widened progressively as the contents of Sojourn's book captured her amazement. She just had to ask.

"Where did you get this?"

The man smiled proudly.

"I helped create it."

Solara was stunned.

"Really? How?"

Sojourn explained his story.

"My kind were scholars, deeply wanting to know everything there was in the universe. It was only after we discovered the _multi_verse that our greatest minds, including myself, came together to craft the ultimate guide in existence. The Enchiridion was born for one purpose and one purpose only: to carry any who possess it to their most desired destination through the knowledge and skill acquired by reading it."

Sojourn looked thoughtfully at the ancient text.

"Whether that destination is a location, a goal, or a state of being, the guide shall not fail to give you all the tools you need to get there."

Solara was simply awestruck by the power of the book, unable to believe that such an artifact dwelled within the mass dimensions of the multiverse. She ran her hand along the books pages as Sojourn continued to allow the precursor to be amazed by the treasure. He suddenly raised his eyebrow, giving a sly smile. He leaned in closer so that he could whisper.

"Do you want to see its greatest power?"

Solara snapped out of her gaze, looked back at the man with the upmost curiosity. All she managed to do was nod. Sojourn smiled wider and gestured for the woman to follow as he stood up from the table. The fiery being complied and the two of them walked back through the crowd of patrons to get back outside.

As they strolled out the door, a dark-cloaked being who had been sitting in a booth nearby watched them leave.

The void of space remained quite tranquil with what stars could be observed from outside the tavern. Solara and Sojourn walked out until they were well away from earshot or eyesight. Excitedly, the man held up his book and turned the tiny sword that was upon its cover. The ancestral Flame watched in wonder as the circular part of the surface popped open, revealing a pit of beautiful jewels, each one more unique than the last.

In its center rested a large blue spherical gem, which shined in the starlight around it. Sojourn suddenly spoke a line in a dialect Solara didn't recognize. The result caused a holographic map to appear above the jewels. The fiery woman instantly knew it was a map of the multiverse.

The man beside her smiled.

"Once the Enchiridion was complete, it was entrusted to me to make sure its purpose was fulfilled. I was given the task of finding a way to get it to every corner of existence, without having to takes years of travel. I began exploring new worlds, seeking any power source I could find to increase the energy the book could contain."

Sojourn held the text up and pointed to the colorful gems one at a time.

"Each precious stone was at the core of a crystalized planetoid, scattered throughout dimensions. It was close to 300 years before I found enough. Luckily, my kind live for up to half a millennium."

He laughed.

"You could say that I'm an _old man_."

Solara giggled, amused by her companion's humor. The traveler continued his tale.

"Once the Gems of Power were in place, the Enchiridion understood their use, granting itself the ability to open a portal to any known dimension in the multiverse."

Sojourn closed his eyes and the cover, and appeared to focus. After a moment, a blast of energy was unleashed from the front of the book, instantly cutting through the fabric of space-time. When all was calm, a humming circular rift had taken shape in front of the two precursors.

Solara stepped forward, a look of reserve on her face. Noticing that the flaming entity was inching her way slowly, Sojourn let out a chuckle. He then proceeded to take her by the wrist and strolling up to the portal. The two stared at the opening, which appeared quite warped on the other side, no clear destination present. The traveler smiled.

"Well…go ahead. Where do you want to go?"

Admittedly, Solara was skeptical, not really sure if the Enchiridion was as omniscient as her new friend said it was. However, she put her trust into the man and nodded. Without a second thought (other than her desired destination) she jumped into the portal, followed closely behind by the book's keeper.

* * *

When the angelic precursor next stepped on solid ground, she was flabbergasted. There they stood, in the peaceful and gorgeous courtyard of the Citadel of Truth. As she heard Sojourn's feet hit the tiled floor as well, she turned to see if he was alright. The man was just grinning.

"I told you."

It was more of a tease; obviously the man's intellect was great enough to tell Solara hadn't initially believed him. The precursor of flames now had no complaints as to the validity of his words. For no other object could teleport a being straight to the Citadel, it had to be found on one's own.

It was at this moment that the traveler noticed his surroundings. His face dropped to the ground as he was lost beyond words. The golden shine of the temple was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The cosmic waterfalls that poured out into space were crystal clear, not a drop of impurity in their flowing waters. The courtyard's tile design caught his eye, making him scrunch up his face in confusion, unable to identify the two overlapping symbols imbedded in the area.

Solara stepped forward and gave a thoughtful smile to the runes.

"Infinity and Eternity, the two universal locks that hold our existence together."

Sojourn swung his eyes to meet the Ancestral Flame's.

"Please, tell me more! This place is just, incredible! I've never visited anything like it!"

The man proceeded to twirl around in a small circle, giddy from his newest destination. Solara giggled again, always amused by the scholar's antics. He finally caught himself and resumed his posture. Taking a look back, he held up the Enchiridion to the portal and in began to shrink, consistently closing as the energy was returned to the ancient text's bindings.

Sojourn brushed off a bit of dust from his book and walked back over to Solara, who remembered one last question.

"How about this, I'll tell you the secrets of the Citadel if you share with me where you record all your journeys.

The man gave a pleased grin.

"That sounds like a wonderful deal! Come closer."

Solara did as asked and stood right next to her friend. The scholar opened the Enchiridion once more, only this time, each and every page was blank. The Ancestral Flame was bewildered. Before she could ask though, Sojourn waved his hand over the clear sheets of paper, instantly making an entire page-full of text appear. The man continued flipping through the materializing journal, showing off all the places he had been to his companion.

After a few more seconds, he paused and snapped his fingers, causing the written text to become blank once more.

"Never runs out of writing space. This book could contain all the knowledge of the multiverse if one had the time to explore every inch."

Solara chuckled.

"Well I'll say one thing, you'd better keep that thing away from my good friend Index. He'd probably kill for that chronicle."

Sojourn didn't quite get the joke. The fiery lady understood this a moment later and stopped her hysterics.

"Perhaps I should fulfill my part of the deal."

She motioned for Sojourn to come with as she headed for the entrance to the Citadel. The man made no hesitation, rushing along as the female precursor neared the entrance. Before they could procced however, a towering being blocked their path. At first the traveler panicked, intimidated by the tall cloaked figure. His friend on the other hand, walked up and waved with a friendly smile.

"Hello there Sentin. How have you been?"

The guardian lifted his hood up, revealing his piercing purple eyes. If anything, it made him even scarier. He did though, wear a smirk across his face.

"I would say fairly well. It's been a good few million years since you last dropped by. What's the occasion?"

The fiery precursor stepped aside, presenting the man behind her to her dear friend. Sentin looked with curiosity at the being as the traveler nervously stepped forward on Solara's encouragement. Shakily, the scholar took a small bow.

"Greetings sir, I am Sojourn, humble precursor of the Chronicle."

Sentin let out an amused huff, feeling quite entertained by a being who would hold him to such high regard.

_Maybe Solara was right about me looking too…'scary'. (sigh) That woman._

The guardian motioned for the man to rise. He then placed his long staff to the ground, aiming the cosmic ball on top toward the traveler. A blue beam of light suddenly erupted from a jewel at the top of the Citadel's main gate, hitting Sentin's sphere before being redirected onto Sojourn. The man was seriously nervous at this point, but Solara gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Confident in trusting the fiery female, he allowed the light to dig into his mind, perring into his thoughts to test his truth. Before long, the beam turned yellow, then instantly cut out. Sojourn waited for the verdict. Sentin rubbed his chin.

"Hm. Interesting."

The traveler looked uneasily at Solara then back at the guardian. Before he became too freaked, Sentin spoke.

"This doesn't happen very often. The Citadel sees no desire within you that you are not already progressing in on your own."

Sojourn looked back to Solara, who seemed impressed by his feat, although he didn't feel like he had done anything. The Guardian stepped aside and gave his staff a quick tap on the tile floor. A moment later, the sound of dozens of locks unhinging and sliding was heard from within the golden door of the fortress. Eventually, the noise stopped and the gates into the temple finally sunk into the ground, presenting a shimmering staircase that led to the heart of the building.

"It has deemed you worthy of entering without the need of a trial. For there is no need to test one who is already at peace with their heart."

Sojourn beamed at the towering man. He bowed his head.

"I am honored Sentin, thank you."

The guardian chuckled as the scholar made his way toward the entrance.

"No, thank **you**. Now she's got someone else to nag to when there's trouble."

Solara gave the vigilant precursor a tough punch to the side before following behind Sojourn into the Citadel. The guardian rubbed his aching ribs.

"Maybe she could also learn some sense of humor."

* * *

(4 cycles later)

Sojourn stepped out of his swirling portal, landing stably on the rotating asteroid beneath his feet. Although he had eventually gotten used to the new physics of the current cycle, he never quite liked the heavy feeling it gave him due to the increased presence of gravity. In any case, he was happy to be back on that floating rock.

The asteroid where he had first met Solara turned out to be a precursor on its own, a random piece of rock that had escaped the climax of the multiverse's life cycle. The tavern that was built on top of it however, was not. The planetoid now say completely empty, devoid of any features that would make someone think twice about landing on it.

To Sojourn and Solara however, it was a symbolic place. As such, they agreed to meet there, every 20 million years on the dot (made possible by a special clock within the Citadel and the Enchiridion). They had never failed to meet a single time, but on this occasion, the fiery precursor had not yet arrived.

The traveler grew nervous. His friend had never been here later than him, she enjoyed scaring his pants off when he exited the portal and didn't bother to look behind him. Not once had the poor scholar remembered to watch out for the woman's silly prank. He was though, grateful that he wouldn't have to deal with it this time.

After a few hours of waiting, the man was about to give up and return to his journey. Before he managed to form a portal however, he noticed a shining white light in the distance. He squinted, trying to identify the approaching object. It was only moments before an impact that he discovered it was Solara, diving at him with high speed, aiming for a comical tackle.

Sojourn scarily began running around, hoping to shake the Ancestral Flame's trajectory. It was no use. A second later, he was pulled off his feet in the embrace of his best friend. The fiery lady twirled through the air a few times before plunging back down to the asteroid, caring a nauseous looking Sojourn in her arms.

Setting the traveler on the ground, Solara turned away shaking her head in amusement as the poor man vomited behind a nearby rock. After he had calmed down, Sojourn made his way over to his companion. For once, he appeared a little shaken and upset.

"Dang it Solara, you know I have a weak stomach. All that crazy aerial stuff makes my insides churn."

The flaming precursor chuckled.

"Good to see you too."

Sojourn rolled his eyes, but managed to grin and shake his head.

"How can the oldest being in existence be so immature?"

Solara gave a goofy smile.

"At some point in your life, you'll realize that acting like a kid is even more limited when you're immortal. You learn that acting as such is actually healthy for you. You should try it sometime."

The scholar smirked. He then proceeded to sit down on the ground, motioning for Solara to join him. The angelic lady got to her knees and looked excitedly to the Enchiridion, which Sojourn was beginning to animate with his hand, revealing the newly added chapters to the chronicle.

Like every one of their meetings, it was spent with Sojourn reading out his latest journeys to his best friend, who listened with the upmost attention, not wanting to miss any of the incredible details. The traveler spoke of unknown powers, perilous planets where the very ground would attempt to swallow you, galaxies that contained monstrous black holes from which only the portals of the book itself allowed escape from.

Solara had a great admiration for the man. He was informative, funny, and was always grateful and appreciative of everything she and her allies on the Citadel had done for him. They gave him a 'family' of sorts, somewhere to come back to anytime he felt lonely. It was truly a wonderful feeling, proving that the golden fortress was right in judging his heart pure and free of additional needs.

At long last, the tales came to an end and Sojourn closed the Enchiridion, releasing a gentle cloud of dust from its surface. He waved it away as the two precursors laughed it up, lying down on the rocky floor of the asteroid. Gazing up into the stars above, they were soon lost in the wonder of the multiverse. The traveler spoke first.

"Hey Solara, I've always wanted to ask, what do you do all these years while we're both hopping around dimensions?"

The Ancestral Flame sighed sadly, still looking at a shimmering galaxy in the distance.

"I do what I've always done; act as the 'Guiding Torch' for those precursors who are still lost to the wilderness of the multiverse. It's really quite sad sometimes. Every so often I meet one who is so far gone that they refuse to let anyone near them, believing that they are trapped in an infinite illusion of immortality."

Solara looked over at Sojourn and grinned.

"And then I meet ones like you, who are kind and willing to make friends, make the bond stronger between all of us who have been left behind by the cataclysm."

The traveler smiled back then gazed back at the starry sky. He pondered the meaning of his and Solara's kind as his eyes wandered the twinkling darkness.

"Have you ever thought what it would be like billions of cycles from now? How many precursors would there be? Would we have our own dimensions, communities, families?"

Solara didn't have an answer, but believed that it was one of the greatest questions she had ever heard. Sojourn was a wise man, and he never failed to come up with a whimsical thought that could occupy a being's mind for centuries.

Astoundingly enough, a third voice shattered the precursor's private gathering.

"It will never come to that. For the multiverse will be long gone before any such thing happens."

Both Solara and Sojourn sprang to their feet. The Ancestral Flame formed white fires on her fists as she stared darkly at a cloaked figure standing several yards away. The scholar next to the fiery woman held the Enchiridion tightly in his arms, afraid of what the new arrival had come for.

Solara took a step to the side, protecting her less capable friend from the intruder. She grinded her teeth.

"Astrum…"

The cloaked being did not respond, but instead rushed at the two precursors, causing the angelic entity to shove her companion to the ground and hold off the pitch black newcomer's attack. She was doing quite well, blocking hit after hit as Astrum threw more and more flurries of fists at the lady.

Solara then shouted back to her friend.

"Sojourn! Get to the Citadel!"

The traveler nodded and held up his book, which began dispensing energy to form a portal. In the heat of the fight nearby, the dark man cancelled his assault on the Ancestral Flame and teleported away, reappearing right behind Sojourn. Solara managed to cry out a warning, making the man turn to face the enemy.

"Give me that book fool!"

Astrum reached forward to snag the ancient text, only for Sojourn to stumble back through the newly opened portal. Determined, the shadowy precursor followed, then finally, Solara herself flew inside before the rift collapsed.

The trio landed hard on the tiled courtyard of the Citadel. Recovering, Solara's first instinct was to make sure Sojourn was safe. She spotted the man crawling to his knees a few feet away. However, Astrum had fully recovered. The dark being stomped over to the scholar and grabbed him by the neck, holding him high in the air as he struggled to breath.

Solara wasn't getting up fast enough to get to him, having been disoriented by her earlier squabble with the vile man now choking her friend. Gratefully, a sudden blast of red energy shot Astrum to the side, forcing him to let go of his captive. Sojourn retrieved the Enchiridion from the ground and began fiddling with it.

The fiery woman had a t last managed to gather her bearings, eying the wounded Astrum who was now smashed into the wall. Looking over, Solara saw Sentin, aiming his spear at the intruder. She smiled, thankful that she had such wonderful allies to help her protect that which was important.

Astrum regained his composure and teleported without warning, suddenly appearing behind Sojourn. The man whirled around to face the threat, only to instantly feel a sharp pain in his abdomen.

Looking down with a terrified expression, the scholar saw a blade formed of air sinking deep into his body.

"SOJOURN!"

Solara screamed in agony as she watched her friend tossed aside by the vile dark entity, who snatched up the Enchiridion and teleported a good distance away. The angelic woman paid it no mind, immediately rushing to her fallen companion. Meanwhile, Sentin had caught up to Astrum and engaged him in combat, quickly overwhelming the unarmed precursor.

The Ancestral Flame gathered up her dying friend in her arms, sobbing heavily as the man did his best to remain conscious. He managed a weak smile.

"Solara…I'm…sorry I wasn't more careful."

He coughed up blood as he spoke. The lady shook her head.

"Stop talking! It's not your fault! Damn it! Why did I have to use up my desire all those cycles ago? There's no one who can save you. And it's my fault."

The woman laid her head into Sojourn's chest, crying heavily. She felt so hopeless, the most experienced being in the multiverse and she had no way of saving even a single life. Before long, a hand brought her chin up to face the fading traveler. His face was in concern.

"Solara, please…don't…don't beat yourself up. Perhaps…no one is meant to live forever. Or at least…maybe existence chose you as the only…(cough)…constant."

The man wiped away several tears as he grew a gentle smile. Solara just continued to sob.

Nearby, Astrum was shoved into the ground, Sentin's spear inches from his throat. The precursor growled at the guardian, ashamed that he had been beaten. The towering being raised his weapon, ready to end the foul entity's life. In that moment however, Astrum held up the Enchiridion and activated it.

Sentin was blown away as a portal formed, releasing a shockwave of spacial energy. Astrum was astonished. What had he done wrong? The portal suddenly performed a new act, creating a sudden suction, which slowly pulled the dark being toward it. The man ditched the Enchiridion, tossing it aside as he attempted to flee. His teleportation wasn't working.

Across the courtyard, Sojourn smiled slyly at the event. He held up his hand and showed Solara what was in his palm. It was the red Gem of Power that was once in the chronicle's cover. The fiery lady gasped, amazed at what he had done.

"Solara, before I go…two things. You hear me?"

The blazing precursor nodded desperately, accepting that her beloved companion wasn't going to make it.

"Make sure the next time you see Astrum…you beat the stuffing out of him."

He managed a grin, as did Solara.

"And another…I…I always had a bit of a crush on you."

The fiery entity gasped, completely caught off guard by the reveal. Sojourn threw out a weak chuckle and closed his eyes for the last time.

"I just…never had the courage…to tell you what an amazing and caring person you are. And how…beautiful…you are."

Solara grew fresh tears in her eyes, embracing the dying man in her arms, never wanting him to slip away. He let out one final laugh.

"Heh, guess I'm a real jerk for waiting till I'm about to bleed out…to let you know…"

For his final act, he used his remaining strength to throw the Gem of Power toward the suctioning portal. The crystal bounced a ways before being caught in the vortex. The crimson jewel then flew past Astrum and entered into oblivion, an unknown dimension where the dark precursor would never find it.

The pitch black entity roared in rage before he finally lost his grip on the floor and tumbled into the rift himself, which violently collapsed and exploded a few seconds later. Sentin leaped over and shielded his two companions on the ground before the debris from the blast hit them. His protection succeeded and they were unharmed, well, further, in Sojourn's case.

It made no difference; the once noble and kindhearted traveler lay dead in Solara's arms. The Ancestral Flame was still bawling her eyes out, unable to accept that the greatest friend she ever knew was now gone forever, lost to the infinite cosmos of the harsh and merciless multiverse.

* * *

_**As requested by Riset36, and anyone else who was hoping for some history on the precursor, we dive deeper into Solara's background. Also, Enchiridion back story as wondered about by SCIK. **_

_**Hope you enjoyed and please review! (and suggestions are welcome!)**_

_**next entry:** _The Crown


	6. Entry 6: The Crown

The Crown

A world composed entirely of white, free of any imperfections, untouched by the corrupting greed of technology. Snowcapped mountains formed reefs of ranges across the surface, forming beautiful gorges and canyons in their wake. A gentle fall of flakes rained down onto the pure blanket of delicate ice that shrouded the solid ground below. A quiet whistling echoed through the wide open tundra and tightly packed snow drifts, revealing the presence of a soft wind that greeted every inch of the peaceful world.

On this day however, a foreign sight was present among the frost. There, shining through the shower of glittering icy crystals that fell to the hidden rocky floor, was a light. Not the sun, nor a reflection of its bright rays off of a slab of chilled glass. This light flickered; most unusual.

Looking closer, one sees that the source of the orange light came from between two benevolent peaks, each one bearing several hideous scars, having had their snowy tops blown away and now only displaying a rock face that was slowly being re-covered by the falling flakes, hoping to hide away the charred rock underneath.

At the base of the twin structures of nature was at last the source of the light, now exposed as the natural opposite of the graceful element that was imprinted onto the planet: fire. Massive collections of blazing ribbons were progressively eating away at the target of their wrath, which was in fact a small village built entirely of wood. Or at least, what used to be wood.

The crackling flames sat upon mounds of ash, completely charred and prepared to a fine powdery residue. Nothing but cinders stained the ground of the destroyed town, mixing in with the heavily tampered down snow to create an ugly shade of black. Although no sign of it was around, one could only sense death.

The wind suddenly shifted, changing direction before finally dropping dead. The fires that were silently finishing off their work died instantly, deprived of oxygen within seconds. At long last, peace was embraced into the land, leaving only the tragic scene of devastation that had befallen the small civilization.

Sadly, it did not hold forever. The soft sounds of crunching snow filled the air, barely detectable yet still an outsider to the feeble waste that lay on the surface. Within another moment, a lone figure appeared, making its way through the aftermath of fiery chaos. It stopped as the center of the village remains was unveiled.

The being wore nothing intricate; quite the opposite in fact. A tattered and badly worn out blue cloak covered its body, leaving only its feet exposed. Bizarrely enough, the appendages appeared to be made of solid ice. The chilling crystal material bent and stretched seamlessly as the figure took one more step forward and kneeled down next to an object half frozen in what was apparently a previously liquid puddle of water.

A crystalized hand extracted itself from the cloak, reaching down and gripping the small pendant that lay within the glassy pond. The ice instantly retracted itself, turning back into water to allow the being to take hold of the necklace. It raised the item up to its hooded face, keeping it there for a minute to gaze at the relic.

Interestingly enough, small shards of ice began falling from the hidden face beneath the hood, collecting in a scattered pile on the dirty ground. Finished with its moment of solace, the figure reached up its other frozen hand and pulled back the blue cloth covering its head. A cloud of chilled air particles emanated from the reaction with the being's silver-white hair, which seemed to run a significant amount of length down its back. Regardless of the long locks however, the figure was in fact, a man.

Empty white pupils emerged from under the previously shrouded face; the irises a chilling cobalt. His skin was a light blue, pale and featureless. Several tears were still falling from is eyes. As the drops of liquid ran lower down his cheeks however, they were constantly growing colder and colder, until by the time they lost hold on their owner's chin, they had solidified and went to join the other shards on the ground.

Taking an icy finger, the man wiped away the last remaining signs of pain and stood up, clutching the pendant in his hands. His whisper was as quiet as the frost that was being radiated from his follicles.

"My daughter…why must the universe be so cruel?"

Within the center of the small medallion lay a crimson gem, perfectly cut and fitted into the necklace's attachment. Years ago, that very jewel fell from the sky, crashing not far from the village. The man's beloved child had journeyed excitedly to retrieve it, finally mastering her power over ice and snow along the way after several obstacles blocked the girl's path. The pendant was the symbol of her achievement, a reward in unto itself.

In addition, the strange red gem itself seemed to give off a strange power, as if imbued with a mysterious energy. Whatever it was, it granted a further growth in elemental manipulation by its wearer. The frozen man gently slid the item over his own neck, letting it rest on his chest. Taking one last moment of silence, he turned to exit, leaving behind the destroyed village that had been his life's work and loving home.

As he continued toward the outskirts of the settlement, his emotional pathway suddenly shifted. His hopelessness and remorse vanished, replaced by fear and desperation. His eyes stared at the road ahead with an odd expression of doubt and anxiety.

_They're gone. All of my people. Not just my flesh and blood, but the rest as well. My people, no, my children, who were but innocent victims. They fell because of me, because I wasn't strong enough to protect them. My frost, it was unable to keep them safe. Why? Why, why, why!_

The icy being raised his hands and engulfed them with a chilling aura, examining his power. With a quick summoning of his inner cold, he turned and let loose an astounding blast of freezing energy, striking the heart of the leveled village. The ground immediately began to grow a layer of ice, which slowly built itself up, consuming everything in its surroundings. The man held his concentration, intent on encasing the entire ruin.

Finally, the colossal mass of frozen water lay motionless between the two mountains, preserving the terrible event for all time. The temperature of the planet would see to that. The man lowered his hands and gazed at his creation, deep in thought. Soon enough, a smile grew to his face.

"You're safe now my children, your remains have been embraced by the power of frost, never again will anyone be able to harm you. You shall live on through the currents of icy wind, speaking to me through the heavens."

A slow chuckle began to rise from his mouth, increasing until it was a small laugh, and finally built up into a full out cackle. The being threw up his arms and faced the sky above.

"They will live! My people shall thrive within my ice, growing back stronger every day. Soon, they will be mightier than me, able to protect those they love. All of the universe will learn to embrace the comforting reach of ice and snow!"

His laughing continued, unimpeded from the act due to the remote nature of the world he was upon. Remorsefully, his mind had not been strong enough to hold out against the shock of his entire species being whipped out. His sanity was depleted severely, unable to cope with the isolation that would now creep its way inside his brain.

Before the crystalized entity could rave any further, he sensed a mass of incoming heat nearby. Instinctively, he formed an ice barrier at his back, which blocked a stream of combustive ribbons from searing his back. The man turned around rather slowly, bringing his eyes around to gaze upon the attacker.

Behind the frozen being stood a pale skinned man, wearing a heavy thermal suit to protect himself against the blistering cold of the environment. In his hands was some sort of weapon, connected to a set of metal tanks on the intruder's back. His face appeared quite vile, especially with the malicious grin he had on.

Lowering the threatening equipment in his hands, the being took a step toward the icy entity, still smiling with wicked intent.

"Well, if it isn't the great wielder of ice himself. Enjoy the little gift I left behind, Gelum?"

The crystal being just gazed silently at the new arrival, his hollow eyes staring. Finally, the elemental manipulator took his own step forward, holding a hand up to the outsider. His tone was nervous and somewhat crazed.

"Quickly child, you are unprotected! Come closer, I shall grant you a barrier of comforting frost. Never again will the flames harm you or anyone else!"

The recently revealed man dropped his grin, now confused by the reaction from the chilling individual.

"What's the matter with you? Have you lost it or something?"

He took another step forward, prompting the crazed entity to hold out both his arms as if expecting the man to come into his embrace.

"Yes, that's right, come to me. I will keep you safe. Soon the unstoppable might of the frost shall be your guardian."

The coated antagonist responded to the words by raising his weapon and firing it again, unleashed a continuous stream of flames at his victim. Gelum simply summoned a icy wind to blow the fire aside, where it dissipated and hissed form the cold contact. Before the weapon could be shot again, the frosted being shot his own blast of energy at the object, instantly encasing it in ice and forcing the adversary to drop it to the snowy ground.

The intruder cursed as he cupped his hands over his mouth, attempting to warm them up as the now insane ice wielder came closer and closer. At this point, fear was in the villain's mind. He quickly made a move to run for it, unable to deal with the silver haired threat. Unfortunately, he found that his legs were now frozen to the ground.

Struggling against the hard crystal substance, he never noticed Gelum finally appear right next to him. The bluish being held out his hand and brought it to the helpless man's face, intent on encasing him in the near diamond hard hold of his ice. Panicking, the trapped villain desperately searched his coat for anything, anything at all, with which he could defend himself.

At the last moment, he felt his flare gun, tucked beneath his left side. As Gelum's hand grew closer, he swiped the object out of his heavy coat and aimed it at the frosted psycho. He closed his eyes and pulled the trigger.

The resulting blast freed him of the ice around his limbs, but also threw both men back several feet. The intruder landed against a soft snow bank. The ice wielder was not as lucky, hitting his head on a nearby boulder hidden under a layer of fresh snow. The blow to his skull instantly dazed him, causing his crystalline form to sink to the ground and lose consciousness a moment later.

Recovering, Gelum's assailant pried his way out of the snow and got to his feet, breathing heavily. He cursed once more under his breath.

_Damn. The king never said I'd be attacking the same village where this guy lived. I better get a decent bonus for having to deal with his psycho side._

Struggling a bit from the heavy amount of snow, the man made his way slowly over to Gelum's motionless form. With great effort, he bent down and ripped the pendant from the ice manipulator's neck. The chain broke from the action but it didn't matter. The crimson stone within was the real prize. The thief stared curiously at the jewel as he turned to leave.

_Infused with great power huh? Doesn't look that special to me. Oh well, not my place to question the orders of the leader._

As he trudged back toward his hidden ship in the distance, he failed to notice Gelum waking up. The being gazed despairingly at the departing humanoid, his white pupils conveying pity and suffering.

_No. Do not leave, this is the safe place. Without the snow you will perish! I must follow, I must protect everyone!_

The delusional man began chanting a spell, slowly causing his body to glow with a blue aura. Gradually, his form began to turn translucent and light. His icy limbs and torso dissolved into an icy mist, hovering over the ground while the man's frozen body completed its transformation. Having succeeded in the chant, Gelum's ghostly mass followed the retreating intruder as he made his way past several snow mounts.

As the chilly fog caught up with him, the man shivered, unable to notice as Gelum's cold vapor swirled around the gem in his hand and began to allow itself to be absorbed in its surface. Eventually, every puff of the icy wind was encased within the mysterious jewel. Shaking off the chilling feeling, the assailant gripped his arms as he pressed on, growling at the unpleasant weather.

"I hate this planet."

* * *

The grand hall of the throne room laid empty save for the occupant within the seat of power. The looming man clacked his fingers impatiently against the armrest of his chair, having had enough of waiting around. He had already ordered several communications to his emissary, wanting to know if the mission had been successful. Unfortunately, the planet's weather prevented any off world transmissions from getting through. Refusing to take excuses, the king had ordered the execution of his technicians.

Before the man could make any more rash actions, the doors to the throne room were flung open. Inside stepped the very being who had journeyed to the frozen rock and retrieved the item his lord had so greedily wanted to acquire. Reaching the leader's feet, he got to his knees and bowed before him. The king glared down at his pawn, considering whether to punish him for his lack of speed.

Luckily, the ruler decided against it as the man presented the much desired red gem to his leader. A lustful smile grew to the vile king's face, eagerly taking the precious stone from his servile subject. The man held the jewel up to the light, examining its sheen and perfection.

"Ah! At long last! The enchanted gem is mine!"

The ruler looked down to the assailant and glared at the nervous man.

"What took you so long? You're lucky I don't deicide to have you vaporized."

The loyal emissary bowed once more.

"My deepest apologies our highness, I did not expect to run into the ice wielder Gelum. His interference caused a great deal of delay. I beseech your forgiveness."

The king sat back and scratched his chin, still pondering on whether to spare the fool. A minute later, he rose from his throne and stood directly above the frightened assailant. The ruler nonchalantly examined his new jewel as he delivered his verdict.

"Very well, but only because it has taken too long for this gem to be delivered to my hands and you're the first one to successfully find it; much less bring it to me."

The kneeling man bowed lower.

"Thank you my lord. It will be an honor to continue serving you."

The king waved off the eccentricity and walked back to his throne. After sitting down, the twisted ruler reached behind and drew out an object from his cape. It was a golden crown, studded on either side by two, small red gems, with a third slot carved into the middle. He smiled maliciously as he took the jewel and carefully set it into the crown. It glowed slightly as he did so.

_Gelum's essence jumped out of the gem, replacing its energy within the cold confines of the soft metal crown._

The king gazed malevolently at his new sign of authority.

"Finally, I shall have a symbol of my power worthy to rest upon my head, imbued with the might of a magical and lustrous jewel that shall be the source of jealously of all the foolish lords who dare stand in my way!"

The ruler stood up and raised the crown over his head. His servant looked up to witness the event.

"With this emblem of strength and authority, I will conquer the entire universe!"

He planted the headwear of nobility upon his head. The second he did, his servant's body temperature instantly dropped to near zero. His eyes flashed open widely as his heart halted its beats. His entire body felt numb, his vision began to blur.

The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was his king, whose skin had turned a hideous blue hue, eyes drowned in white, and hair spreading out in a crazed fashion while a terrifying laugh escaped his mouth. The assailant blacked out.

The final sound to reach his ears was that of expanding ice.

* * *

(a later cycle, unknown planet)

Solara carefully made her way through several corridors, being careful to avoid the puddles of water her presence produced. It was quite difficult to avoid the icy walls of the palace, mainly because every single surface was covered with the substance. The ceiling in particular annoyed the precursor, dripping down drops of liquid that pecked her forehead before evaporating away from her intense heat.

Normally she would raise her temperature to such intense levels that the ice would evaporate, but Index had warned her that the ice she was dealing with was far stronger than any form of the chilling glass material usually found in the multiverse. This was why she was not having the slightest enjoyment walking through an abandoned castle, it was creeping her out.

What light that her body produced only gave her a range of about ten feet to see in, making her nervous as to what could be lurking in the silent hallways, waiting for an easy target. Not that the Ancestral Flame **was** an easy target but still, she'd prefer not to have to deal with a horrifying beast or stealth savvy creature hiding in the shadows.

Approaching what was believed to be the throne room, Solara threw a fire blast at the large doors to the chamber, which easy crumbled under the power of her white flames. After waiting for the crash and debris to fall silent, the angelic woman entered the room, instantly feeling the temperature drop even further.

_Jeez. To think that I of all people would be feeling chilly._

As the precursor rubbed her arms by some strange instinct, she continued on her way to the throne at the back of the chamber. By this point, the outburst of ice was so large that to reach the seat of power and leadership she had to work on melting the obstacle out of her way.

The freezing glass was indeed unique as Index had proclaimed. It took actual effort to weaken the material rather than simply being in its presence. Gradually, Solara was able to burn her way to the central point of the bloom of ice, where she at last found what she was looking for among the ruins of the kingdom.

There, sitting in the throne, having perished from being overwhelmed by a great power, was the skeleton of the previous ruler of the land the precursor now walked upon. Upon his head rested a golden crown, decorated by three red jewels, one of which instantly caught the woman's attention.

Solara's eyes widened as she rushed up to the remains of the king and swiped the royal headpiece off of it. She momentarily winced from the vastly extensive cold that the chilled metal exuded. Bringing the crown closer to look carefully, her eyes began to tremble as she recognized the central jewel in the dangerous object.

"The lost Gem of Power…"

Index had told her that the crown contained a source of significant energy, but never could she have guessed that that source would be the long lost piece of the Enchiridion. The crimson gem shimmered from Solara's fire, which had grown slightly more reserved as the precursor was sucked into her memories.

_Sojourn. The chronicle. Astrum. The attack. Death. Devastating loss._

The fiery woman felt several tears fill her eyes as she brought the crown to her chest and squeezed it tight. The cold caused a chill to run up her spine but she ignored it, taking a long needed moment of solace for the tragic events that surrounded the red jewel she now possessed.

After an undistinguishable amount of time, Solara managed to wipe away her remaining tears and placed the ominous crown in her cloak. With that, she turned around and left the throne room, leaving behind only the remains of the foolish ruler who had dared to put it on.

* * *

Index consistently worked his way on a holographic keyboard, performing various tasks of documenting and recording his most recent findings or archives. The spherical being was quite into his job, not even noticing when the Citadel signaled that there was a visitor. Normally, the keeper would simply allow Sentin to determine if the individual was worthy of entering, making him truly appreciate the security the guardian provided by staying at the temple. That along with the company and occasional assistance was what made the archivist greatly thankful for a friend like him.

Soft footsteps could be heard from down the main stairs, echoing off the walls of the fortress. A second later however, larger and louder steps where heard. These caught Index's attention. It was rare for Sentin to came along inside with someone; only when it was something important.

This forced the precursor to temporarily abandon his cataloging and face the peak of the stairway. A minute later, Solara and the guardian emerged from the lower floor of the Citadel. The archivist smiled, happy to see both his greatest friends. It was even more unusual to have the opportunity to see both of them at once, as the angelic Flame was always off on journeys to help fellow precursors and Sentin remained vigilantly by the entrance to protect the great temple.

All these reasons were why the spherical entity joyfully floated over and gently took Solara's hand in one of his, beaming at the two visitors.

"Solara, Sentin. It's such a pleasure to see both of you again. We never have enough of these meetings together."

The keeper's two friends smiled warmly, but the archivist instantly sensed that they were preoccupied by something. He frowned, looked with concern into the Ancestral Flame's golden eyes.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Solara's smile vanished and she reached into her cloak, moments later pulling out the dreaded artifact that she had been hunting down for the past five cycles. Index's eyes grew wide as he accepted the crown from her hands, carefully studying the object's features. It was only when he stared at the crimson gem in its center that he at last understood his friend's reaction to the golden headpiece.

Lowering the crown to look the angelic precursor in the eyes, the archivist's expressions showed only sadness.

"This is…the missing Gem of Power…isn't it?"

Solara slowly nodded, looking to the floor as Sentin place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Index did the same. Somehow, the two loyal companions ended up giving the woman a gentle embrace, holding their dear friend close to help her in the emotional struggle that had been within her for so many billions of years.

The fiery woman eventually found the strength to return the gesture, placing a hand on each of their backs. There they stood, using their unfathomably deep bond of friendship to help one another get past a tragic memory. A few tears were again in her eyes, but this time, not from anguish, but from happiness, overjoyed that she would never be alone so long as she remembered that two great companions would always be there for her at the ancient fortress.

Eventually, the three separated and Index motioned for them to follow him into a nearby corridor that had been opened by his telekinetic powers. Walking through, the precursors were met with the grand collection of artifacts and items that had been collected over the cycles, both dangerous and antiques objects that were deemed either too valuable, or too dangerous, to leave in the vast unknowns of the multiverse.

Index halted his hovering at a specific display capsule, behind which rested a well-remembered text from their past. The worn out and damage Enchiridion stared back at the three through thick glass, reminding them of the reason it was housed within the Citadel. The archivist held up the crown and once again looked at the red Gem of Power now imbedded within it. Solara went over to his side.

"Can we…fix it?"

The spherical being turned sadly to his friend and shook his head.

"I'm sorry Solara. The Enchiridion was heavily destabilized when Astrum activated it. I fear that if it is used one more time, the book will destroy itself."

He held up the crown.

"The jewel will have to remain within this. It is for the best on both sides. For who knows if the entity within this item will remain contained should the power source be removed."

The archivist looked back to the mystical manual.

"And it would be a great shame to lose such an incredible culmination of knowledge."

Solara's head dropped down, staring at the ground in thought.

"I understand Index."

The keeper floated down to meet his friend's gaze.

"I'm sorry, I wish there was a way, but without the Gem in its crest, there's no telling if the crown will unleash a cataclysmic freeze inside the Citadel. This place is too important to risk such a gamble."

Solara nodded. Index floated over to a nearby empty display case and gently placed the crown on its pedestal. Backing away, the precursor telekinetically controlled the case to bring down a layer of glass, isolating the cursed item from the rest of the multiverse.

He then joined his two friends still standing before the Enchiridion, wishing there had been some way to prevent the disaster that had befallen them so long ago. Behind them, the crown whispered quietly to itself, recalling all the foolish and greedy rulers who had stolen it from the grave of the previous owner.

_They shall be safe for all time._

_My ice will keep them from harm._

_Come my children, use my power._

_Cloak the land in my comforting frost._

_May the flames never again torture your gentle souls._

_I will be there to stand against the dangers._

_Always and forever._

_Awaiting the day to freeze the universe over and establish complete and utter peace._

* * *

**_I know you guys are general cool with me not being precise with the updates but it still bugs the crap out of me when there isn't enough time to post a new chapter or entry. Oh well, Ill get over it eventually. Ignore this ramble._**

**_Hope you enjoyed and please review!_**

**_next entry:_**In the Wrong Hands


	7. Entry 7: In the Wrong Hands

In the Wrong Hands

Deep within a jagged canyon, hidden behind boulders, streams, and various other natural obstacles, there lay a most peculiar object. Its shape could be described an circular but it held no apparent function, for its boundaries did not exceed the second dimension. At first glance one would imagine a mirror, hanging as if suspended by an unseen force, suspended in midair, beckoning for any curious mortal to examine its mysterious properties.

If a being were to touch it, they would find their hand slips right through the planar object, disappearing into some void or other that no one could fathom or even guess existed. Such far off powers were unfortunately, very frightening to the people of the land, who tended to shun the ominous might of unknown magical items.

However, for the group that suddenly emerged from the silent portal, there had been nothing on their minds but discovering and pillaging whatever treasures may have lain within the environment on the other side. A small band, under a dozen strong, proceeded to step onto the rocky earth from which they hailed, abandoning the world inside the anomalous rift that swirled behind them.

There was no leadership among them, based on their gathering, as so they simply stood as a collective unit, preparing their next move. The group stood tall, dressed in heavy armor that covered nearly every inch of their forms, along with massive shields and quite menacing broadswords tucked within a scabbard on their waists. These men clanked as they walked; tapping and scratching their plates together while moving.

One of the party held what appeared to be quite the ancient text, with great signs of degradation and wearing. Upon its cover lay illustrations of a skull, a bird, a vine of fruit, and a large sword in the middle. Its name was very difficult for any of the men to pronounce, they had only grabbed it due to its promising visuals and age, which they believed guaranteed some otherworldly wisdom or knowledge.

In another's hands was held a far less dubious item. A golden crown with three crimson gems adorning its surface, one on either side and a glorious large third set in the middle. Other than that, it appeared as any other royal headpiece. Of course, they were humans, one of the greediest creatures to inhabit the planet. As such, they would gladly deprive a place of its riches in the seeking of glory and wealth.

One of the metal-clad knights stepped forward, addressing his fellow warriors.

"Is this all? For the great sacrifice of so many of our noble brothers the best we could come up with is a single piece of gold and an old book?"

One of the others, the one holding the text, defended the gains.

"But you must understand, the knowledge held within this item may pay us back ten-fold. Who knows what ancient secrets could be uncovered. We may even find other locations to sack, earning back the efforts we have already put forth."

The first shook his head.

"I see no reason to dwell with that old thing. Unless it can revive the dead, I say we dispose of it. At least with the crown we may yet walk away with a hefty prize."

He took the item from his fellow fighter and examined it carefully.

"It is fit for any king, surly a treasure that will fetch handsomely."

The others agreed as the one with the text frowned sadly, picking at the sword on the book's cover. Before he knew it, it turned a little. He was intrigued and continued spinning the tiny switch until it clicked, stopping once it was horizontal. Suddenly, the circle portion of the cover popped open, revealing a ring of colorful gems within.

The man did his best to contain his astonishment. However, it was unnecessary; his fellow knights were too busy discussing the crown. Carefully, he crept away from the group and examined the jewels. Each one was shining in a unique shade of color, clearly having a great value. One slot was empty, suggesting that the book had been stolen before. He frowned, realizing the moment that his fellows saw the book's secret they would immediately want the precious stones all to themselves.

The knight closed the hidden compartment and slid the sword back to its place. Afterward, he placed the text against his chest and closed his eyes, sighing.

_I wish there was some way to get rid of these gems._

Before he knew it, the text glowed slightly along with a weak vibration. Curious as to what had just transpired, he gently cracked open to the page that was shining moments ago. Shock filled his face. The writings upon the page were explicit instructions as to how to scatter the multitude of jewels across the land.

"Hey! What are you doing Rowan?"

The leader of the knights stepped through the crowd and glared at the one holding the text.

"What is in that book? Answer, now!"

The one called Rowan stood valiantly against his superior.

"This isn't right Gavin; we should've never attacked those strange beings. What right did we have to assault their home? What ever happened to chivalry, to being heroic?"

Everyone stared nervously as the leader approached his subordinate and pulled out his broadsword, laying the blade near the man's neck. His eyes were filled with vile cruelty and general anger.

"Chivalry? That blasphemy! There is nothing gained by being righteous, no rewards for being honorable, we take what we want and that is all there is to it!"

Gavin slammed Rowan's helmet with the hilt of his weapon, causing the man to stagger and fall to the right. He dropped the book, which slid over and bounced against a rock wall. The impact knocked open the compartment containing the gems, catching the eyes of every knight around. The leader scowled down at the fallen subordinate, giving him a kick in the ribs, causing Rowan to shout out in pain.

"You dare hide this from me! I'll have your head!"

With one last kick to the side of the helpless knight, Gavin walked over to the text and greedily picked it up, gazing in lust at the glimmering jewels. He reached in, planning to rip the gorgeous stones form their slots. Before he could lay a finger on them however, Rowan suddenly got to his feet and produced a chant in a strange language.

"Disperge claves portarum!"

Instantly, the book began to shudder wildly in Gavin's hands, forcing him to drop it and stand back in astonishment. A few seconds later, each and every gem flew out of its place as if it were a firework. Streaks of magnificent color zoomed through the sky as the magical jewels flew in all directions, making it impossible to track even one without difficulty.

Gavin looked down at the now empty book, his pupils slowly dilating from the building rage within him. A moment later, he threw the book to the side and brought up his sword, turning angrily at Rowan. The less experienced knight struggled to draw his own weapon to defend himself. The deranged leader charged at his weakened opponent, determined to strike down the insubordinate warrior.

Out of nowhere however, the blow from Gavin's broadsword was halted, clanging against the blades of the rest of the group. The leader stared in disbelief at his comrades. Finally, he found the sense to back away and point his weapon at the band of knights protecting Rowan.

"Traitors! You will all pay for standing against my judgment!"

One of the men stepped forward.

"You've become more and more insane with each journey. The raid of the temple was the last straw. We watched with horror at how you mercilessly cut down that being that stood in your way. He was just doing his duty but you had to go ahead and determine that all of the fortress's treasures belong to you! We won't stand for it!"

The protective line raised their swords, prepared to remove their leader who had fallen to a low matched only by the cruelest of tyrants. Gavin's eye twitched as he bared his teeth at his honor-bound men. He raised his own sword along with the golden crown he still possessed. The knight then brought the object to his temple as his blade pointed to the sky.

"You don't get it fools! I am the king here! All will bow to my strength!"

As the royal headpiece rested upon his head, a massive blue hue of energy erupted form it. Everyone backed away as Gavin's eyes were engulfed in a blue glow and he opened his mouth to scream in pain. The man's hair exploded from his helmet, now a snowy white. The sword, still pointed at the sky, unleashed a second blast of energy, sending it straight into the heart of a dark storm cloud that had formed overhead.

Lightning cracked as high winds began to strike everything on the earth below, forcing the knights to kneel down or be swept away by the powerful gusts. Snowfall soon followed the gale, beginning to bury the ground in a freezing white blanket. The knights managed to use their shields to block most of the pouring frost.

Meanwhile, Gavin had dropped his sword and was pressing his hands to his head, continuing to shout in utter despair while he began lifting off the ground. The leader's men watched in shock as the darkened man released unstable bolts of ice from his body, insta-freezing anything it hit.

One of the knights shouted to his comrade through the howling wind.

"Cassius, get that thing off of him!"

The man equipped with a bow and arrow nodded and brought out his weapon, taking careful aim at the floating Gavin. The shot was difficult through the blasting snow but the team's archer was among the best in the land. With a few seconds of counterbalancing the shot, Cassius let loose a arrow, which cut elegantly through the snow and hit its mark, knocking the golden crown off of Gavin's head.

Immediately, the storm began to dissipate and the ruthless leader fell to the ground. The hit sounded quite painful, especially with the armor he was wearing. By the time the others reached his form, the man was passed out. Rowan walked over and picked up the book while one of his allies took hold of the crown, careful not to drop it.

The knights looked with concern at each other before gazing at the objects in their hands. The one holding the crown spoke up.

"This…thing. It's clearly too dangerous to leave in mortal hands. We must ensure it is never used again."

The others nodded solemnly. Rowan walked up to the man and offered the text. His expression was determined.

"Cedric, please, allow me to watch over the crown. I will give my life to protect and keep it out of the greedy reaches of those who would seek it."

The older knight was astonished by the declaration.

"But, Rowan, you're the youngest of us all. There's much for you to live for!"

The holder of the text shook his head.

"No, I wish to carry our mistakes, so that you all don't have to. Go on, take this book, and learn from it, for it will teach you everything you need to become great heroes."

Cedric carefully swapped items with Rowan, now examining the ancient text with great wonder. He looked back at the young knight.

"Where will you go?"

Rowan pulled out a long cloak from his satchel, dawning it and tucking the crown into his bag.

"North, as far as I can muster. This thing will be well hidden among the snowy mountains. I may perish, but I'll make sure that no one will find it ever again."

The man's determination brought sorrow to all the others, who each offered him a final handshake and wished him luck. Cedric took extra time to say goodbye. He placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"You truly are a brave knight Rowan; we will be honored to learn how to be a great warrior like you. Good luck, my friend."

With a last nod, Rowan set off in the direction he declared, leaving his faithful brethren to watch the lone knight make his way up the canyon and disappear over the edge at the top.

* * *

(modern times)

A small bell rung as the door to the drugstore opened, announcing the arrival of a customer to the shop's humble owner. The grizzly haired man behind the counter gave a warm smile to his guest, as he was a regular. The much smaller individual walked up to the front table and grinned at the towering shopkeeper.

"Morning Elias, savage weather isn't it?"

The man bellowed a laugh.

"Ha! Indeed Albert."

The visiting man brought out a pound and laid it on the counter. Its jingling revealed its contents to be coins. Albert carefully poured out the money and began to sort it for the store owner. He counted out equal piles then slowly looked up at Elias, a nervous look upon his face.

"Will…this be enough?"

The towering man gazed with concern as he counted the coin, trying to determine if the amount was satisfactory. Regrettably, Elias closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm sorry my friend, but the medicine is a fair bit out of reach."

Albert stared in despair at the grizzly man's face.

"But, Elias, my daughter. She'll never make it past this freeze. Can't you please understand?"

The shopkeeper sighed.

"I cannot Albert; my own family needs the money to prepare for my wife's coming child. We can't risk anything going wrong. I am truly sorry."

The customer lowered his head sadly.

"I see. You're doing what's right for your loved ones. I must respect that."

Elias reached over and placed a hand on Albert's shoulder.

"If you can get the rest of the payment, I'll be sure to have it for you. You can't give up."

Albert took a moment to recollect himself before nodding.

"You're right. I mustn't lose my dear little one."

The man gave a farewell to Elias and dashed out of the drugstore, promising to return soon. As Albert made his way back to the docks, he thought to himself on how to make the extra money for the medicine. Work wouldn't be enough, by the time he would've made enough for the difference; the freezing cold would likely already claim his daughter's weakened body. There had to be another way.

As the man neared the docks, he heard his supervisor call out through the light snowfall.

"Hey Albert! Where had you been, we could use some help with this rigging!"

The humble father rushed to aid his fellow dockworkers, intent on making up the money in any way he could.

"Sorry, was on break sir."

The shift leader shook his head.

"You've got to be on your toes, we've got a busy haul today. Some big-shot scientist or whatever had a delicate load for us to take care of. We have to finish getting his cargo onboard before he gets back, understood?"

Albert answered back an affirmation and began pulling at various ropes to raise up a large crate that his coworkers had already begun lifting. Soon enough, a crane took over once the cargo was at a certain height. The machine proceeded to hoist the crate up and over the railing of the only ship currently moored to the dock.

After a few more hours or so, the rest of the items had been carefully tucked onto the deck of the freighter, ready and safe for transport. Albert admired the work and went over to take a hot cocoa break with his fellow laborers. The weather had calmed down, now barely letting any flakes fall from the heavens. It was a pleasant stop from the manual duties of the dockworkers, as they now swapped stories and cracked jokes while waiting for another ship to pull in for them to unload.

A few minutes later however, a crane suddenly stared behaving erratically. Several workers stood up to observe the event. A couple worried murmurs were heard as an operator was spotted in the machine. The supervisor held up his radio and called to the worker inside.

"Bosse, what the heck is going on?!"

A response crackled in a few moments later.

"I'm not sure sir! The controls just started malfunctioning!"

The boss watched as the crane began swinging around violently, still holding a large crate that was being relocated.

"Watch it! You've got free-swinging cargo!"

"I know!"

The other workers observed in horror as the crane suddenly shifted its load toward the nearby ice cliff, which hung close to the edge of the docks. With a loud smash, the crate slammed harshly into the wall of frozen material. For the first few moments, nothing happened, then however, a low rumbling ensued, followed by the sight of rapidly faltering support on the icy cliff.

A moment later, chunks of ice cascaded off the wall, plunging into the freezing waters below and creating enormous splashes that soaked several workers still near the edge of the dock. Everyone backed away frantically as an entire section of the wall came crashing down, forming a wave that violently smashed into the side of the freighter. Luckily, the ship was unharmed, as was its precious cargo.

After a brief minute of chaos, the populous of the docks regained their composure and began sifting through the slushy ice water that now covered the area. The supervisor walked over to Albert, an irritated look on his face.

"Damn it, that's gonna put us back a bit. Albert, we had a crucial mooring hook attached to that wall, see if you can find it in the wreckage and detach it from the line feeding into the ship, otherwise she won't be able to leave port."

The man nodded and grabbed his gear, putting on a flashlight helmet and grappling rope along with his pack. He made his way to the edge of the dock and scanned the collapsed ice for a stable section. Eventually, a mark was found and Albert began swinging his grapple. A moment later, he released the twirling rope claw and sent it flying at a spike of frozen water that was sticking out of the wall.

The hook reached its target and wrapped the rope around several times before allowing the claw to sink into the frosty surface. With a few tugs, Albert was satisfied with the stability and took a few steps back. With a quick run, he vaulted over the freezing waters and came to a bumpy landing inside a small crevice in the destroyed wall.

After a few minutes of careful search, the man found his assignment. The mooring clamp lay crumpled between two sections of ice. With some determined flexibility and unrelenting work with a metal cutting knife, Albert was able to severe the line connected to the ship, watching as the steel cable fell to the water below with a splash.

He was about to head back the way he came before noticing somewhat of a cave hidden behind a nearby chunk of the fallen wall. Curious, the man turned on his headlamp and made his way over to the entrance. It was obvious that the space had not been revealed until the small avalanche the crane had caused.

Going deeper inside, Albert began to see a glimmering in the distance. As he came closer, he found the source of the shine. It stunned him. At the end of the cave, lying upright against the frozen wall, was a suit of armor. Clutched within one hand of the metal protection was an elegant broadsword, stuck deep into the ice and having had the gauntlet frozen to the hilt of the blade.

In the other arm's grasp was a golden crown, adorned with three red jewels. Albert eyed the discovery with wonder as he got closer. Once he reached the suit, he kneeled down and took a good look at it. It was clearly from medieval times, evidenced by the crest across the armor's chest. Slowly, Albert lifted the visor of the helmet. He popped back a bit after discovering that there was a skull within the metal headgear, its hollow sockets staring back at him.

Regaining his composure, Albert glanced again at the crown, admiring its splendid gems. A thought came to him. This, scientist person visiting the port, perhaps he was a wealthy man, perhaps he would find interest in an artifact of such nature. Surly the jewels alone would cover the costs of the medicine that Albert's daughter needed.

Not taking another second, the dockworker carefully pried the royal headpiece out of the skeleton's grasp, causing the head to slump down and the arm to fall to its side. Taking one last look at the poor knight, Albert high-tailed it back outside, leaving the long gone guardian to himself.

Slipping the crown in his pack, the short man made his way to the rope that was still connected to his grapple, having tied it down so he could get it later. With a few steps back, Albert charged back across the ice to swing all the way to the docks once more. Several coworkers greeted him.

"Did you have fun out there Albert?" they joked while patting him on the back.

He joined them in a chuckle while walking back to the supervisor. Stopping at attention, Albert cleared his throat to catch the boss's attention.

"The line is free sir."

The boss nodded.

"Well done, take five. If you'd like, you can go say hello to Mr. Petrikov, he'll be departing soon with his collection."

Albert raised an eyebrow. His supervisor sighed.

"The archeologist, or whatever."

The dockworker's eyes lit up.

"Oh! Yes, of course, I'm sure he has some interesting stories."

As Albert ran toward the entrance ramp of the ship, his boss called back.

"Keep it short! We've got another haul coming in fast!"

With great enthusiasm, Albert made it up the freighter's side and reached the deck. After a moment of looking around, he spotted two men in heavy winter coats examining the crates. One of them had glasses on while the other appeared to be an associate. Albert waited patiently for the second man to move on before approaching the spectacled individual.

"Um, excuse me; are you the, archeologist, or something like that?"

The man turned to fully face his visitor, holding a look of confusion for a second before cracking into a grin. He then chuckled a bit as he took a step toward the dockworker.

"Hoho! Well hello there my friend. I'm afraid the word you're looking for is antiquarian."

He held out his hand, which Albert grasped.

"Simon Petrikov, collector of unique artifacts. Who might you be?"

The worker eagerly shook the hand.

"Albert sir. If you wouldn't mind Mr. Petrikov, could I have a moment of your time?"

The spectacled man gave a jolly smile.

"Of course, go right ahead."

The native man cleared his throat.

"Would you by chance be interested in anything I could come up with?"

Simon tilted his head, intrigued.

"Hm, well if it's an ancient item I'd definitely like to have a look."

Albert grew more confidence as he reached into his pack and took out the crown, presenting it to the antiquarian. Simon accepted the object with great interest, immediately taking out a small magnifying glass from his coat and studying the relic.

"I must say, I'm baffled! I can't even determine a period of origin. Could you tell me where you found this?"

Albert decided not to complicate the man's voyage with additional treasures.

"Up in the mountains a few days ago. I was actually meaning to see if I could get it to someone for some much needed money."

Simon looked curiously at the worker.

"Oh? An what would that be for?"

Albert gazed sadly at the deck.

"My daughter. She has fallen quite ill and needs medicine. However, my current standings will not allow me to get the help she needs. Winter has only just begun and her condition is worsening. I don't know wh-"

He was interrupted by a hefty sack being held up to his chest. Looking up, Albert saw Mr. Petrikov smiling warmly.

"If you'd like to give up this curious artifact then here, I'm sure this is more than enough to get what you need."

The worker took the bag with astonishment. There was more inside than he could make in a month! Albert looked to the antiquarian.

"But sir! I surly don't need this much!"

Simon waved him off, still holding his smile.

"Nonsense my friend! You'll need it a lot more than me. The weather here in Scandinavia is a great deal harsher than back home. I know I'm doing the right thing."

Eventually, Albert accepted the sack and gave a firm shake to the man's hand.

"I can't thank you enough Mr. Petrikov. I wish there was some way to repay you."

The spectacled man chuckled again.

"Oh it's quite a big help giving me such a cryptic item. I'll enjoy studying it more back home."

With final goodbyes, Albert waved back to Simon as he headed back down the ramp and returned to work, eager to finish his shift and claim the life-saving medicine his little girl needed. Meanwhile, Simon walked to his quarters below deck as the freighter sounded its horn, preparing to leave port. The antiquarian smiled intriguingly at his newly acquired artifact.

_I bet Betty will get a kick out of this one._

* * *

**_Well, this is the last planned Archive. Unless I get a request for more background info for COT this is it. Just so you know, Astrum, Solara, and the Citadel itself will all have their full pasts revealed in the actual story._**

**_I believe I achieved my goal of providing fillings for your curiosity with these one-shots. Thank you for all the support and readings! Later. _**


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